Kehan and Blue Aeris are currently guiding the development and negotiations for the live-action feature film adaptation of DREDGE, the award-winning, chart-topping video game created by New Zealand-based Black Salt Games. He secured prominent Los Angeles entertainment law firm Greenberg Glusker for legal counsel and representation with UTA (United Talent Agency). The project team has been working with Wētā Workshop on early concept design while advancing script development with top-tier creative talent, including acclaimed director Andrew Adamson.

THE PROPERTY

Black Salt Games is an independent game development company based in New Zealand, founded by a small team of passionate game developers and a talented studio manager dedicated to creating distinctive, immersive gaming experiences.

Their award-winning debut title, DREDGE, blends exploration, adventure, fishing and psychological horror into a uniquely atmospheric experience. The game was designed to embrace a broad audience while creating something genuinely original—using storytelling, artistry and interactivity to evoke emotion, provoke introspection and ignite the imagination.

A GLOBAL GAMING PHENOMENON

DREDGE launched across major gaming platforms in March 2023 and sold more than 100,000 copies within its first 24 hours. It has since surpassed 3 million copies sold, earned thousands of overwhelmingly positive reviews, and established itself among the top 1% of titles on Steam.

The game has received consistent 9–10/10 ratings from leading outlets, including 10/10 reviews from GamesHub and GamingTrend and a 9/10 from God is a Geek. Its chilling soundtrack has generated more than 1 million streams, further expanding the game's cultural footprint.

The iOS and Android versions launched February 27, 2025, receiving widespread critical acclaim. Forbes named it “2025’s Best Mobile Game So Far,” while multiple outlets included the game on their top-games lists. The mobile release has already surpassed 1 million sales.

AWARDS & INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

From its debut, DREDGE quickly established itself as an industry-recognized independent title. During the 2023 awards season, it was nominated for Best Indie Game at the Golden Joystick Awards and for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards. It was also recognized as an SXSW Sydney Game of the Year nominee, an IGN Winner, and a TIME nominee for its 10 Best Video Games of the Year.

Among its major 2023 honors, DREDGE won SXSW Sydney Game of the Year, the BitSummit International Award, and the Grand Prize at The PAVS, while earning nominations for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards.

The game went on to receive major recognition throughout 2024, including becoming a D.I.C.E. Awards finalist, receiving nominations for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, winning at BitSummit, and earning four BAFTA nominations.

Its recognition continued into 2025, with DREDGE receiving the Apple Design Award for Interaction, iPad Game of the Year, and the Unity Awards Best Mobile Game of 2025.

A WORLD BUILT FOR LIVE ACTION

At the heart of DREDGE is a haunting story that taps into universal themes of fear, uncertainty, obsession and the unknown. Beneath its atmospheric beauty lies a world where the familiar gradually becomes unfamiliar—and where exploration carries consequences.

As daylight fades and darkness descends upon the sea, the boundaries between beauty and terror begin to disappear. DREDGE invites audiences into a mysterious world of isolated islands, deep waters and unfathomable forces, where every voyage reveals something new and the passage of time can become as dangerous as the depths themselves.

The result is a distinctive cinematic world with the potential to translate the game's atmosphere, mythology and psychological tension into a compelling live-action feature film.