Josh Cooley, the man behind Toy Story 4 and Transformers One, is writing a movie based on the hit video game 99 Nights in the Forest. The project lands at 20th Century Studios, and Sam Raimi is producing it through his company, Ghost House Pictures.
The adaptation comes after Cooley directed Transformers One, which made more than $129M around the world. Now he has signed on to adapt the game, which has become a monster hit on Roblox. The move follows a competitive bidding process; sources said 20th Century Studios won the rights in a highly competitive situation, beating other studios to the project.
The Game Behind The Movie
99 Nights in the Forest is an action-survival game made by Grandma’s Favourite Games. Players spend 99 nights in a haunted forest, trying to save four lost children while fighting vicious deer and other creatures.
The game is still young. It launched less than a year ago, and it is already the 7th most played game of all time on Roblox. Nearly 26 billion people have visited it, and it holds a player rating of 90.6%. That player rating reflects how audiences have responded to the game’s premise and its design.
The game’s popularity drew a lot of attention. The win came after a highly competitive situation, with other studios also chasing the project. The game’s creators kept their online handles from the game community: Kieft is known as Cracky4, Hufton as ForyxeV, and Angland as Viridial.
The Production Team
Sam Raimi is producing the film through Ghost House Pictures. His recent work includes Send Help. Rob Tapert, who produced Don’t Breathe, also joins as producer.
The producers have assembled a group of exec producers that includes the creators of the game itself. Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton and Cameron Angland all worked on the original project. They keep their online handles from the game community: Kieft is known as Cracky4, Hufton as ForyxeV, and Angland as Viridial.
Two more exec producers round out the team: Romel Adam and Jose Cañas. Adam worked on Evil Dead Rise, and Cañas worked on Play Dead.
Josh Cooley’s Track Record
Cooley is an Academy Award winner. He made his feature directorial debut with Toy Story 4. His recent work includes Transformers One, the first fully CG-animated Transformers movie.
He has also worked on several other Pixar films. Those include Inside Out, Coco, Incredibles 2, Onward and Soul.
The Studio And The Deal
J.R. Young is overseeing the project for 20th Century Studios. Michelle Kamme got the deal across the finish line for the studio.
The studio landed the rights in a highly competitive situation. That suggests other studios wanted the project too. The competition was part of the path to securing the rights, and 20th Century Studios emerged victorious.
What The Game Actually Plays Like
The game’s premise is simple: survive 99 nights in a haunted forest. The forest is full of danger, including vicious deer and other beasts. Players must also rescue four lost children along the way.
Why This Team Makes Sense
Raimi’s recent work includes Send Help. Cooley brings a track record of animation work across Pixar and beyond. The game’s creators being attached as exec producers keeps the original vision intact.
The mix of talents is notable. Raimi brings the horror touch. Cooley brings the storytelling and animation experience. The game creators bring the authenticity of having made the thing themselves.
Comparing The Numbers
| Detail | 99 Nights in the Forest |
|---|---|
| Developer | Grandma’s Favourite Games |
| Platform | Roblox |
| Lifetime visits | Nearly 26 billion |
| Player rating | 90.6% |
| Ranking | 7th most played game of all time |
The numbers are striking. A game that launched less than a year ago has drawn nearly 26 billion visits on Roblox.
The Road Ahead
There is no director attached yet. Cooley is writing the script, and the producers are building the package.
The fact that 20th Century Studios won the rights in a competitive situation suggests the studio saw value in the property. The studio was willing to compete against other studios to secure the rights.
Our View Of The Announcement
This is a promising pairing. Raimi and Cooley together bring a mix of horror sensibility and animated storytelling experience. The game’s creators staying involved as exec producers keeps the original vision intact.
The project has everything going for it. A proven game, a talented writer, a storied producer, and a studio willing to compete for the rights.
See the video the story is built around at Deadline.
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