'We Happy Few' movie to be developed by 'Pitch Perfect' producer

A movie adaptation for indie survival horror game “We Happy Few” is now in the works with Gold Circle Entertainment, known for producing the musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect.” Compulsion Games, the title’s developer, will be working with dj2 Entertainment for the game’s film adaptation. Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment, along with Dmitri M Johnson and Dan Jevons (CEO and Chief Content Officer of DJ2 Entertainment respectively), are set to produce the adaptation. The project will have Stephan Bugaj, from DJ2 Entertainment, as its executive producer.

“Dmitri, Stephan and Dan approached us enthusiastically with really solid ideas about how to adapt our game to film while retaining its menace, dark humour and central themes,” Compulsion Games head developer Guillaume Provost said in a press release (via Gamasutra). "We're gratified at how they and Gold Circle have taken to the project."

For the uninitiated, the game is set in a dystopian city in England. The story takes place in the 1960s hence its rather retro fashion and overall look. Inhabitants of the city are fuelled by a hallucinogenic drug that leaves them happy, albeit vulnerable to being controlled. Players take control of a character who opts out of the drug and is thus dubbed a “Downer” by the city. The objective of the video game is to escape the city and avoid being caught by authorities.

“We Happy Few” was first introduced in 2015 and was later on made available as a beta on PC and a preview programme on the Xbox One console. For it to already have a movie adaptation will be an interesting venture, considering the game has not been fully completed yet. Taking this into account, the upcoming film adaptation may take a life of its own as it is given leeway to explore a direction that may diverge from its main source. This will also provide more creative freedom for the film’s producers to do as they see fit, seeing as the video game has yet to finalise everything for awaiting fans.

With a lack of expectations riding on its shoulders, "We Happy Few" could stand a chance in having a successful movie adaptation as fans have yet to develop a strong connection to the actual video game. This is unlike other film adaptations of popular games such as “Assassin’s Creed” or “Prince of Persia” whose movie counterparts ultimately flopped with critics and fans alike.