• by Danielle Oster , Yesterday

To promote the upcoming theatrical debut of a film adaptation of a classic video game, entertainment company Cineverse partnered with leading retail gaming company GameStop.

The collab centered around the upcoming Jan. 23 theatrical release of “Return to Silent Hill,” a horror movie adapting the 2001 survival horror game “Silent Hill 2,” the sequel to the 1999 PlayStation game “Silent Hill,” developed by Konami’s “Team Silent.” Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in September of 2001, the game went on to sell over a million copies, and is the most critically acclaimed game in the “Silent Hill” franchise, according to review aggregator site Metacritic. 

The upcoming “Return To Silent Hill” movie adaptation from Cineverse stars Jeremy Irvine (“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” “War Horse”) and Hannah Emily Anderson (“X-Men: Dark Phoenix”, “Jigsaw”) and follows a remake of the “Silent Hill 2” game released on PlayStation 5 in 2024. It was shot by Christophe Gans, who also directed “Silent Hill,” the first entry in the “Silent Hill” film franchise, released in 2006.

The campaign kicked off on Jan. 7, with in-store activations leading to further marketing materials across other channels. Participating GameStop locations enticed fans of the series with “a mysterious, digital message,” and the chance to win “Silent Hill” perks and promotional items. The activation was promoted with a social media post from both GameStop and “Return To Silent Hill.”

According to Cineverse, locations for the campaign were strategically selected for their location near movie theaters that will screen “Return To Silent Hill,” and exemplifies Cineverse’s “fan-first activation strategy.”

In a statement, Cineverse senior vice president of marketing Lauren McCarthy called GameStop “an inimitable leader in gaming retail,” which allowed the brand to “serve fans where they shop,” where they can “hear what is calling them from Silent Hill."

The collaborative campaign with GameStop follows the release of an official trailer for “Return To Silent Hill” last month.