By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Dig up some supernatural chills next month.
Epic Pictures and its genre banner Dread have announced that THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT is coming to theaters nationwide February 13, with bookings handled by Seismic Releasing. The movie will then begin streaming on Shudder March 27. Based on Brian Clarke’s best-selling, viral-sensation video game, it was directed by Jeremiah Kipp (SLAPFACE) from a script by Tracee Beebe and Clarke, and stars Willa Holland, Paul Sparks, Mark Steger (STRANGER THINGS), Shelly Gibson and Keena Ferguson Frasier. The synopsis: “THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT follows newly certified mortician Rebecca Owens [Holland], who accepts a night shift at a mortuary, embalming bodies alone after hours. As disturbing events escalate, Rebecca uncovers demonic rituals, the dark secrets of her enigmatic mentor [Sparks], and her own buried trauma—racing to survive the night before her body becomes a vessel for possession.”
“With THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT,” says producer and Epic CEO Patrick Ewald, “we’re thrilled to translate one of gaming’s most unnerving experiences into a relentlessly immersive feature film. This is an authentic adaptation grounded in the same dread, the same characters, and the same world that made the game so unforgettable. We’re bringing River Fields Mortuary to life in full detail, building it from the ground up as a practical set to preserve its claustrophobic atmosphere and sinister realism. The result is a chilling blend of storytelling and sustained tension, and we can’t wait for audiences to step into this terrifying new chapter of horror cinema.”
“Seeing THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT make the leap from game to film is incredibly rewarding,” says Clarke. “Fans of the game will finally witness the world they’ve explored come alive, while genre film audiences will discover a story filled with tension, dark secrets, and unforgettable scares. It’s a unique crossover that bridges two communities of horror fans in a way I’ve always imagined.”
