Sony Adapts Mouthwashing Into Feature Film

Sony Pictures Entertainment is adapting the psychological horror game Mouthwashing into a feature film. The studio acquired the film rights to the title, which was developed by Sweden-based Wrong Organ and published by Critical Reflex. The movie will be produced by Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill, and Vince Cheng under their Crooked Highway production banner.

The project builds on Sony's recent success with the Resident Evil franchise. Zach Cregger directed the previous game adaptation for the studio. For the Mouthwashing film, Karyn Kusama is attached to direct. She will work with screenwriters Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. The three creatives previously collaborated on the 2015 thriller The Invitation and the 2018 film Destroyer.

The source material follows five crew members stranded on a space freighter named Tulpar. The ship crash-lands on an asteroid, where dwindling supplies and isolation cause paranoia to spread among the group. The game uses a first-person perspective and a nonlinear narrative to explore themes of responsibility, denial, and unchecked power. It combines surreal imagery with psychological tension.

Mouthwashing received strong critical reception upon its initial release on PC in 2024. It holds an 88 score on Metacritic and has received overwhelmingly positive user reviews on Steam. The game won the best narrative and players choice categories at the Horror Game Awards. It also took home the best hidden gem award at the New York Game Awards. Sales figures indicate the title has sold nearly one million units on PC.

The game has attracted an audience beyond typical gaming demographics. Content related to Mouthwashing has generated 63 million views on YouTube. TikTok videos featuring the game have amassed nearly one billion views. This international following likely influences the decision to bring the property to the big screen.

The game launches today on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC. It will also be available through Game Pass on console and PC platforms. Derrickson last directed The Black Phone 2 and The Gorge, both released in 2025. Kusama recently directed episodes of Yellowjackets and The Terror. Manfredi and Hay have written scripts for Clash of the Titans and the Ride Along films.

Crooked Highway holds a producing deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to create feature films for Screen Gems. Derrickson, Cargill, and Cheng are represented by WME, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Ziffren Brittenham. Kusama is represented by WME, Black Bear, and Felker McGinnis. Manfredi and Hay are represented by UTA and Alan Grodin.