Lionsgate has announced that it has acquired an option to make a film adaptation of the smash hit zombie survival game Dead Island.
The movie studio has snapped up the rights to Deep Silver and Techland's Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC title within weeks of its debut, with the game having topped the UK all-formats chart for a fortnight while shifting two million copies worldwide.
According to Lionsgate's producers, the film will be inspired primarily by the sensational teaser trailer that became a worldwide internet phenomenon earlier this year, before going on to win the prestigious Golden Lion in Cannes at the International Festival of Creativity.
The emotionally powerful short film, which chronicled the story of a young family's demise at the hands of the undead in a striking non-linear fashion, received more than ten million views online with two days of its debut.
Lionsgate's Joe Drake said the movie will feature the same focus on emotional stories, relationship drama and fragmented storytelling.
He added: 'This is exactly the type of property we're looking to adapt at Lionsgate - it's sophisticated, edgy and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love.'