The first cinematic teaser for the upcoming Silent Hill 2 adaptation, Return to Silent Hill, dropped yesterday, and once again, the community is divided by what they've seen.
While we've previously been treated to some BTS screenshots, this is the first time we've had a proper look at Christophe Gans' second Silent Hill movie.
The film's plot will feel familiar to anyone who played the original Silent Hill 2 or the 2024 Bloober remake. It follows "James (Jeremy Irvine), a man broken after being separated from his one true love (Hannah Emily Anderson). When a mysterious letter calls him back to Silent Hill in search of her, he finds a once-recognizable town transformed by an unknown evil" and "terrifying figures both familiar and new." It was unveiled in October 2022, but it took until May 2024 for us to get our first glimpse at Return to Silent Hill's version of Red Pyramid Thing — AKA Pyramid Head.
"Don't forget that it's an 'adaptation'," suggested one fan on Reddit. "First off — as someone who really likes the first Silent Hill movie despite the obvious plot issues and departure from the game (Silent Hill 1 is also my favorite game in the franchise) I think it's important to remember that Return to Silent Hill (RTSH) is an adap[at]tion, not a direct copy. And really, who ACTUALLY wants a 1:1 carbon copy of the game? We already have that.... twice."
Well… some people do just want a carbon copy of the game, it seems.
"I would love a good director do [a carbon copy of the game], don't make stuff up," responded someone else. "The movie is sh*tty, gets the lore wrong, it's just a B-horror movie. Seriously how the hell are you all okay with a such good game having such a trash adaptation, the Last of Us-ification of Silent Hill is insane."
"I know everyone wants a subdued, subtle, psychological horror in the vein of something like Jacob’s Ladder, Lost Highway, Cure," replied this fan. "Trust me, I wish that were so as well. But that’s never going to happen in our lifetimes. This is modern 2025 Hollywood we’re talking about. Return to Silent Hill looks just as good as the first. It looks way better than Welcome to Raccoon City.
"It looks like a fun, thrilling, entertaining romp through the world of Silent Hill, and we will see some striking visuals and familiar creatures. I, for one, would rather have this than not have a movie at all. Seated day 1."
Other fans of Silent Hill 2 are pondering what ending the movie may use, as the original game had six (seven, if you play the Born from a Wish DLC), and the remake has eight.
"Knowing Christophe Gans, he will most definitely come up with his own ending for the movie adaptation," this player suggested on a forum. "My guess is that he'll turn the loop theory into the actual ending for the film, and show James back in the beginning of the story doing the same thing again."
"This is acceptable," posted another on a Silent Hill community Discord. "I am not overly impressed, but I am not disappointed either."
The film's IMDb page has also raised some eyebrows, not least because it features a number of character names unfamiliar to Silent Hill 2 fans, including "Kaitlyn," who may or may not be a renamed Angela.
"All these extra characters and the hooded people in the trailer carrying someone makes me worry they've lied in the early marketing, and the cult [from Silent Hill 1 and 3] are part of this story now…," cautioned one fan.
Return to Silent Hill comes out on January 23, 2026, and the folks behind the film think it'll be as true to the games as possible.
Gans' first Silent Hill movie, based loosely upon the first game, follows mother Rose as she searches for her missing daughter, Sharon, in a town where it snows during summer. Although the screenplay was written by Oscar-winner Roger Avary of Pulp Fiction fame, we thought Gans' first adaptation was a mediocre 5/10, writing: "So there we have it. Our worst fears realized yet again. The video game-to-film genre has endured more than a decade of mediocrity. Silent Hill is probably the smartest and best-looking video game adaptation yet, it just doesn't have much else going for it. After all, video games are about entertainment, and Silent Hill is a chore to sit through."
The second movie, Silent Hill: Revelation — which was directed by M.J. Bassett — was based loosely on sequel Silent Hill 3. That secured a less favorable 4.5 in our review: "Silent Hill Revelation 3D is an inferior sequel in every way, shape and form, a horror sequel that fails to either intrigue or scare, and one that just might have killed the franchise cold-dead."
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
source https://www.ign.com/articles/return-to-silent-hills-first-cinematic-trailer-has-completely-divided-the-community