The 21-year-old filmmaker also revealed that he has three “dream projects” in the works.
Kane Parsons, director of hit horror film Backrooms, has been keeping busy with prominent video game studios. After previously meeting renowned director Hideo Kojima, the young filmmaker has now paid Valve a visit.
The 21-year-old director confirmed the latter during an appearance on The Kyle Buchanan Show, where he elaborated on his meetings with Valve. Although he stopped short of confirming or denying whether any film deals were in the works, he indicated that conversations were taking place.
Is Kane Parsons working on a Portal film adaptation?
During the 28 October episode of The Kyle Buchanan Show, Kane Parsons revealed that he is currently working on three dream projects, one of which is a personal online project. He remained tight-lipped about the details due to confidentiality, but fans have speculated that one of the projects could involve Valve's Portal.
Parsons had expressed interest in creating a Portal film adaptation months earlier, and with his recent visit to Valve's headquarters, it's hard not to get excited about the possibility of it becoming a reality. During the podcast, he wore a Valve hoodie, prompting the host to ask about his dealings with the company.
Parsons chose his words carefully, revealing that conversations were taking place but nothing had been confirmed.
“I don’t really have a desire to sensationalise anything that I may or may not be talking about over [at Valve]. Because it’s just mostly like, is it possible to make something compelling in some ways that we like? Like… what do you guys even want to do? What do I want to do? Is there anything on the table in any way, shape, or form?
If not, I would like to defend a future where they don’t even go down that road. I think it was more of having an abstract creative conversation that could flow in like, 30 different directions. If you just know the way Valve works, I think they’re looking to experiment internally more than anything that is going to be talked about.
If something cool comes out of it, I’m sure somehow people will know.”
Fans have, of course, expected that if anything comes of Parsons' discussions with Valve, it could be a Portal film. The young director has previously praised the 2007 game, with even greater admiration for its 2011 sequel, describing the two titles as the strongest influences on his life.
Parsons made his leap into the film industry at just 20 years old with his directorial debut, A24's Backrooms, which launched in May 2026. The film achieved both critical and commercial success, grossing over US$400 million worldwide on a budget of just US$10 million.
Having turned an online creepypasta into a meteoric cinematic success, Parsons has demonstrated excellence in bringing internet-born horror to the big screen, something he can perhaps deliver with video game film adaptations.
