The Video Game That Last Night In Soho Writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns Wishes She Could Adapt

There are always things that haunt certain Hollywood filmmakers and actors throughout their careers, whether it be a missed role or a beloved project that was widely panned. However, "Last Night in Soho" co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns says she is haunted by the things she doesn't get to write. "Sometimes at night I play scenes ... in my dreams," explained Wilson-Cairns, during a recent appearance on the ReelBlend podcast (via CinemaBlend).

The former "Penny Dreadful" writer got her start in feature films with the World War I drama, "1917," which she co-wrote with director Sam Mendes. Now, Wilson-Cairns is gearing up for the Friday, October 29, release of "Last Night in Soho," a film she co-wrote with director Edgar Wright. But it turns out there's been one project the writer has always had her sights set on that still eludes her to this very day. It involves a beloved video game from 2007, which J.J. Abrams' studio, Bad Robot, currently plans on adapting into a feature-length flick (via IGN).

If there is one film opportunity Krysty Wilson-Cairns is most disappointed about missing out on, it's definitely the "Portal" adaptation she once pitched to studio execs. "I love that video game, obsessed with it," she told ReelBlend. "I was pitching to do an adaptation of that."

At the time, she was still fresh on the Hollywood scene, and Wilson-Cairns found it difficult to get her idea noticed. "It was quite early on in my career," she remembered. "I came up with what I think is the best story ever, and I pitched it, and they were like 'nah.'" The screenwriter went on to admit that the project is one she still replays over and over in her head at night. "That's the only thing I'm haunted by," Wilson-Cairns said, "is that I didn't get to make the 'Portal' movie."

Valve's puzzle-adventure game was a major hit with both critics and fans alike when it was released in 2007 as part of a "Half-Life 2" bundle (via Metacritic). It was hailed for its originality and gameplay engine, which provided unique features and stood out for its unique use of physics. Instead of bullets, the game gives players guns that can fire portals at walls and different surfaces. Step into one portal and you come out the other, allowing for mind-bending twists and turns that make you think before you leap. 

Filmmaker J.J. Abrams told IGN back in May 2021 that a script was "being written for the 'Portal' movie now" at Warner Bros. "We're really excited about the take and the pitch, so it feels like that thing's finally on the rails," Abrams said. However, while that's an exciting development in its own right, it also means that Wilson-Cairns may truly never get to see her "Portal" idea brought to life on the big screen.