Isabela Merced, who you'll recognize as Dina from HBO's The Last of Us and Hawkgirl in James Gunn's recent Superman film, has been chosen to star in SEGA's upcoming film adaptation of its classic zombie franchise, The House of the Dead.
Confirmed in a report from Deadline, Merced will lead the adaptation, which is set to be written and directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, who is right at home in a gore-filled zombie world, as he's arguably most known for directing the Resident Evil films that star Milla Jovovich (who also happens to be his wife).
The report adds that SEGA sees the adaptation as "a top SEGA priority" and that the company wants to make it a successful and immersive franchise similar to the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, while making it a "fresh take" on the franchise.
"The House of the Dead is a game I have loved for many years," said Anderson, "and I'm beyond thrilled to be bringing this to the big screen with an exciting talent as Isabela at its heart. We envisage this as the start of a tentpole franchise which can explore the rich world and lore that SEGA has created over a whole series of films."
SEGA executive and producer Toru Nakahara added, "Working with Isabela is a thrilling opportunity as she embodies the heroine character perfectly, bringing dynamic energy to the production. We're dedicated to crafting a visually striking and immersive experience by introducing compelling actors and terrifying creatures that will bring the House of the Dead universe to life on the big screen. With our deep understanding of video game adaptations, we're eager to deliver an electrifying cinematic journey for the franchise's fans."
Story Kitchen, a production company that'll also be working on the film that's already got its hands in other video game to film/TV adaptations, namely Amazon's upcoming Tomb Raider show, added, "We're thrilled to bring together Isabela, Paul, Jeremy, and SEGA, alongside our partners at Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance. It's a powerhouse group coming together for a truly iconic property."
With this production still seemingly in early stages of its development, it'll be a while before we see Merced take center stage here. In the meantime, it seems like her schedule might open up sooner than later for it, if HBO boss Casey Bloys is correct about his estimate on how many more seasons The Last of Us will get.
The last time we saw anything from The House of the Dead was a remake that arrived back in 2022. If this film adaptation finds the success that SEGA and company hope it does, we may be in for a new generation of games to go along with the films.
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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