The Last of Us star to lead film adaptation of another beloved video game franchise

Hot on the heels of the announcement that a Baldur's Gate TV series is in the works, another major gaming franchise is heading to the big screen – and it’s landed a fast-rising star to lead the charge.

Isabela Merced, best known for her roles in The Last of Us and Superman, has been cast as the lead in the upcoming film adaptation of Sega’s cult horror shooter The House of the Dead, Deadline reports.

The project will be written and directed by Paul WS Anderson, a familiar name to fans of game-to-screen adaptations thanks to his long-running work on the Resident Evil franchise, as well as the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie.

First released in 1997, The House of the Dead became a staple of arcades thanks to its frantic, rail-shooter gameplay and its then-revolutionary depiction of fast-moving zombies.

Set within a secret government agency known as AMS, the story sees agents battling monstrous outbreaks and shadowy conspiracies.

Merced will also serve as an executive producer on the film. The actor has enjoyed a breakout run in recent years, appearing as Hawkgirl in Superman, directed by James Gunn, and starring in the hit sci-fi horror Alien: Romulus. She is also set to return for The Last of Us season 3.

A previous 2003 House of the Dead film adaptation was critically panned and failed to make much impact at the box office. This time around, however, here's hoping that stronger creative oversight – and a star with serious momentum – could finally do justice to one of gaming’s most influential horror franchises.

Watch a trailer for the previous House of the Dead film below:

Read more: The Last of Us cast gets major shake up ahead of season 3

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