As Return to Silent Hill releases new trailer, some fans of the video game are confused by one major change

RETURN TO SILENT HILL | Official Trailer - YouTube

Return to Silent Hill, the anticipated adaptation of the beloved video game Silent Hill 2, just dropped a new trailer, and some fans are confused (and even angry) about one major change.

In the trailer, which you can watch above, we meet James Sunderland as he is lured back to Silent Hill when he receives a mysterious letter from the love of his life, Mary, asking him to "please come back to our special place". What awaits for him in Silent Hill, however, is not the emotional reunion he was hoping for following their breakup – he finds instead "a once-recognizable town transformed by an unknown evil", according to the official synopsis.

"While James desperately searches for Mary," it continues, "he encounters terrifying creatures and begins to unravel the mystery of what happened to the town. But as he descends deeper into the darkness the secrets he uncovers lead to a horrifying truth, and James finds himself struggling to hold on long enough to save his one true love."

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With the trailer now out, fans have noted some changes from the original game, particularly the contents of Mary's letter at the start of the story. "They changed the letter. It's like the most important thing in that entire game. That should be a hint," said one fan on Twitter.

"The first sentence of that 'letter' is enough for me to keep my money right in my pocket. What do you change such an iconic letter for? Like, srsly... If you make adaptations, make them right," added another.

Other users had even more questions regarding the differences between the game and its on-screen adaptation: "Why tf did they change the opening letter?? What the hell is "James... So much time has passed, but I'm asking to please come back" Why does he drive into Silent Hill at the start when he should already be there?"

Despite fans' complaints, production company Cineverse promised earlier this year that the film, directed by Christophe Gans, will be "a faithful adaptation of the video game Silent Hill 2." Meanwhile, Silent Hill's original composer, Akira Yamaoka, said he was "incredible happy" with the movie.

Return to Silent Hill hits theaters on January 23, 2026, starring Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again lead Jeremy Irvine as James, and Jigsaw star Hannah Emily Anderson as Mary.

Until then, discover more of the upcoming video game movies currently, check out the best Silent Hill games you can play tonight, and take a look at our list of the best upcoming horror movies in 2025 and beyond.

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.

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