Sony Pictures is turning indie horror game Mouthwashing into a live action feature film. The studio has picked up the feature film rights from Sweden based developer Wrong Organ and publisher Critical Reflex, with Karyn Kusama attached to direct for the Screen Gems label. Writers Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay will adapt the script, while Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng produce through their Crooked Highway banner. The project was revealed this week by the developer and the studio, and trade press has since filled in the full creative lineup.
Quick facts: Title: Mouthwashing film adaptation. Rights holder: Sony Pictures through Screen Gems. Director: Karyn Kusama. Writers: Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. Producers: Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng for Crooked Highway, alongside publisher Critical Reflex. Source game: Mouthwashing by Wrong Organ, published by Critical Reflex. Original release: PC in 2024, with PlayStation, Xbox and Switch versions rolling out now.
Kusama directs a proven horror trio
The hiring brings together filmmakers with a long shared history. Kusama, Manfredi and Hay previously collaborated on the 2015 psychological horror film The Invitation and the 2018 crime thriller Destroyer, so the Mouthwashing script comes from writers who already know how the director builds dread. An exclusive report from The Hollywood Reporter notes that Kusama recently directed episodes of Yellowjackets and The Terror, and that her film credits include Jennifer's Body and Girlfight, for which she won directing honors at the Sundance Film Festival.
The producing side is equally genre fluent. Derrickson directed The Black Phone and Sinister, and his Crooked Highway banner with Cargill and Cheng holds a producing deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to make feature films for Screen Gems. Deadline confirms the producing lineup and adds that the screenwriters carry credits on Clash of the Titans and the Ride Along films in addition to their Kusama collaborations.
The Tulpar crew heads to the big screen
While the film plot remains under wraps, the game gives the creative team a sharply defined starting point. Mouthwashing follows five crew members stranded aboard the space freighter Tulpar, where dwindling supplies, isolation and mounting paranoia expose the fractures between them. The first person psychological horror game pairs surreal imagery with a nonlinear narrative built around responsibility, denial and the consequences of unchecked power.
That structure is unusual for a game adaptation. The horror comes from interpersonal collapse rather than monsters or jump scares, which puts pressure on casting and script rather than effects. Kusama has a strong record with character driven tension, from the slow burn dinner party dread of The Invitation to the survival group dynamics of Yellowjackets, and that resume maps neatly onto a story about five people losing their grip on reality in deep space.
From 2024 PC breakout to consoles and Game Pass
The film news lands as the game reaches its widest audience yet. Mouthwashing launched on PC in 2024 and built a following through word of mouth around its story and retro styled presentation. Engadget notes that the console rollout is happening now, with the game available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox One and PC, plus Xbox Game Pass on console and PC.
The timing mirrors how Hollywood now shops for game properties, with studios moving on titles once they prove they can travel beyond their launch platform. IGN reports that the reveal came directly from Wrong Organ and Screen Gems, which positions the film as a partnership with the creators rather than a distant licensing deal. For a story this psychologically specific, keeping the developer close to the project is a promising sign.
Game adaptations keep stacking up
Mouthwashing joins a crowded slate of game to film projects, and Sony has recent reason to feel confident in the space. The studio is also behind the Resident Evil reboot from Zach Cregger, which drew both strong reviews and strong box office returns. A grounded, character focused horror film in the Screen Gems lane could give Sony a counterweight to its bigger franchise bets, since the Tulpar story needs atmosphere and performances more than spectacle.
No release date or casting has been announced, and production timelines are still unclear. Fans who want to board the Tulpar before Hollywood gets there can play the game on PC and consoles right now, with Game Pass making the trip especially cheap. Expect casting news to be the next signal of how seriously Sony is pushing this one.
Who is directing the Mouthwashing movie?
Karyn Kusama is attached to direct the Mouthwashing film for Sony Pictures through the Screen Gems label. She previously directed Jennifer's Body, The Invitation and Destroyer, plus episodes of Yellowjackets and The Terror. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, her collaborators on The Invitation and Destroyer, are writing the script.
When will the Mouthwashing film release?
No release date has been announced. Sony Pictures has acquired the feature film rights and set the director, writers and producers, but the plot remains under wraps and production timelines are still unclear. Casting announcements should be the next sign of movement.
What is the Mouthwashing game about and where can I play it?
Mouthwashing is a first person psychological horror game from Wrong Organ, published by Critical Reflex. It follows five crew members stranded aboard the space freighter Tulpar as isolation and paranoia take hold. It launched on PC in 2024 and is now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox consoles and PC, including Xbox Game Pass.
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