This acquisition positions ZQ Entertainment as a serious player in the horror IP space, while Prime Universe Films leverages its proven Hitman franchise experience to bring credibility to the Tormented Souls project. The deal signals confidence in indie horror properties as viable cinematic material.
Insiders suggest this move comes as studios are scrambling to lock down horror gaming IPs before competitors can. One source notes that video game adaptations have become 'the new bidding war battlefield' — with production companies hoping to replicate the success of titles like Five Nights at Freddy's and The Last of Us.
The deal was announced on July 29, 2026 via Deadline. ZQ Entertainment is handling financing alongside co-financing partners. Prime Universe Films previously produced the Hitman feature franchise. Dual Effect developed the Tormented Souls survival horror series as an indie property.
With horror gaming IP becoming increasingly valuable real estate in Hollywood, expect to see more acquisitions like this one — and more questions about whether studios are overheating a market that already saw its share of misfires.
In a deal that underscores just how ravenous Hollywood has become for video game intellectual property, ZQ Entertainment, Prime Universe Films, and Longevity Pictures have secured the exclusive motion picture and television rights to Dual Effect's survival horror franchise Tormented Souls. The announcement, first reported by Deadline on July 29, 2026, marks another significant consolidation of gaming IP under the banner of film and television production companies betting big on interactive entertainment adaptations.
ZQ Entertainment is financing the development while serving as a co-financing partner alongside Prime Universe Films — the production company behind the Hitman feature franchise — and Longevity Pictures. The trio's combined resources suggest this isn't merely an option deal sitting in development limbo; there's actual capital backing Tormented Souls' transition from screen to television or film format. What remains unclear at this early stage is whether we're looking at a theatrical release, streaming series, or some hybrid approach that has become increasingly common in the adaptation space.
Prime Universe Films' involvement provides immediate credibility for anyone wondering whether this project will be handled by veterans who understand both the source material and the technical demands of horror filmmaking. Their work on Hitman — a franchise built around stealth action gameplay mechanics — demonstrates they've navigated the tricky waters of video game adaptations before, even if that property occupied different genre territory than survival horror. The Tormented Souls franchise itself comes from indie developer Dual Effect, suggesting this acquisition follows a pattern increasingly common in contemporary Hollywood: bypassing major gaming publishers and AAA studios to lock down smaller, cult-favorite properties that already have dedicated fanbases hungry for screen adaptations. With Five Nights at Freddy's proving the commercial viability of horror gaming IP and The Last of Us demonstrating prestige television potential from game source material, Tormented Souls enters a market where studios are willing to pay premium prices — provided they move fast enough to outbid competitors.
