If you’ve spent any time around horror games in recent years, The Mortuary Assistant likely sounds familiar. The unsettling indie hit, known for its slow-burn dread and deeply uncomfortable atmosphere, is getting a film adaptation, arriving in theaters on Friday, February 13, 2026.
The movie comes from Epic Pictures and Dread, the genre label behind Terrifier, and is based on the best-selling game created by Brian Clarke. IndieWire has already flagged it as one of the year’s most anticipated horror releases, and the newly debuted trailer leans heavily into the claustrophobic tension that made the game a cult favorite.
Directed by Slapface filmmaker Jeremiah Kipp, the film stars Willa Holland as Rebecca Owens, a newly certified mortician working the night shift alone at a small-town funeral home. As the hours stretch on, routine embalming work gives way to increasingly disturbing events, pulling Rebecca into a web of demonic rituals, buried trauma, and the unsettling influence of her mentor, played by Paul Sparks.
First released in 2022, The Mortuary Assistant gained viral attention through streamers and horror fans for its ability to create sustained unease rather than rely on cheap scares. The film expands on the game’s mythology while aiming to preserve its oppressive tone, including the recreation of the mortuary as a full practical set.
The Mortuary Assistant opens exclusively in theaters on February 13, before streaming on Shudder on March 27, 2026.
