3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Return to Silent Hill' Set Image Causes Online Stir For Wrong Reasons
An image from Christophe Gans' upcoming video game movie adaptation, Return to Silent Hill , has surfaced online, although it has drawn criticism for its apparent low-budget nature.
The image, shared by the Discussing Film X/Twitter account, isn't exactly new, as it was originally seen in an official behind-the-scenes video for the movie released last year. The shot features James (Jeremy Irvine) standing opposite Maria (Hannah Emily Anderson) in a rusty elevator, presumably in Brookhaven Hospital from the game.
Admittedly, the costume design for the two characters seems on point, with James decked out in his iconic green leather jacket and Maria donning the original game's red outfit. The issue here, however, is her blonde wig, which stands out for all the wrong reasons, looking cheap and out of place.
Understandably, fan response was mostly negative, with most netizens poking fun at the films apparent B-movie nature. 'This looks like some amateur YouTube fan video, why is it so hard for filmmakers to nail the look from the game?' said one commenter in the post's comments. 'This is a real movie? That wig is….ouuufff.' added another.
From this early look alone, some fans are already expecting the film to flop, with various comments from users like 'Can smell it flopping from here' or 'Feels like this is going to be a disaster', with some pointing out how cheaply made it feels for an apparently big-budget project.
Despite the backlash, it has to be noted that these stills are only pre-production images taken on set and have yet to receive any lighting adjustments or special effects, which might make the final product differ drastically in terms of mood and atmosphere.
Aside from these images, the behind-the-scenes video did offer a more optimistic look at the upcoming film, especially concerning its monster design, like the iconic Pyramid Head and Bubble Head Nurses. As shown in the video, Gans opted to follow what he did in his original 2002 Silent Hill adaptation by hiring real-world dancers to portray the monsters, resulting in more realistic movements that are beautiful yet eerie.
Whether the final film can overcome its initial criticism still remains to be seen, and will most likely offer a better look soon in the form of trailers, as Return to Silent Hill approaches its theatrical release on 23 January 2026.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Christophe Gans Return to Silent Hill Silent Hill
