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Something to look forward to: The storylines in Remedy Entertainment games have always incorporated various entertainment mediums, so film and TV adaptations have always seemed like a natural fit (the 2008 Max Payne film notwithstanding). A new partnership with Annapurna brings fans' hopes for live-action productions much closer to reality.
Alan Wake and Control developer Remedy Entertainment will collaborate with Annapurna to further the development of the two intellectual properties. The agreement covers film, TV, and video game projects.
In a press release, Remedy announced that Annapurna will provide half of Control 2's production budget. In exchange, the company can develop TV and movie adaptations of Control and Alan Wake.
Most earnings from the live-action productions will go to Annapurna, while Remedy receives a bigger share of the revenue from Control 2. The game developer will retain full rights to both franchises.
Remedy released Control for PC and consoles in 2019 to critical acclaim. The supernatural third-person shooter was lauded for its narrative and graphics technology, winning numerous awards.
The company confirmed it had begun developing Control 2 in late 2022, but the project likely remains in the early stages. Earlier this year, Remedy agreed to purchase the full rights to the Control franchise from publisher 505 Games for around $18 million.
Remedy's next major game release will likely be its planned remake of the first two Max Payne titles, which entered production readiness last year. The studio is also working on a co-op spin-off of Control, called Condor.
Like Control, Alan Wake 2 also received a warm reception from critics upon its release late last year. Reviewers praised its art direction and envelope-pushing graphics (which also resulted in historically high PC system requirements).
Live-action scenes have featured extensively in Remedy's games like Control, Quantum Break, and both Alan Wake titles. The Alan Wake series, being a story about an author, also uses elements of literature. Furthermore, the first two Max Payne games conveyed their story by displaying graphic novel pages between levels.
Meanwhile, Annapurna is well-versed in video games, film, and TV. Its main division, Annapurna Pictures, is primarily known for Her, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, and Sorry to Bother You. Subsidiary Annapurna Interactive has funded well-regarded games like Stray, Outer Wilds, and What Remains of Edith Finch.