After becoming a globally-recognized superstar with The Mandalorian Season 3 and The Last of Us on air right now, Pedro Pascal is taking on his hardest job yet - solving the mysteries of the mobile game Merge Mansion. He stars in a new short film for the game as a detective on the complicated case of Grandma Ursula, her granddaughter Maddie, and the titular mansion. He quickly realizes, however, that this is no ordinary investigation, but rather a complex web that feels less like a real-life case and more like some twisted game. The new ad heralds the arrival of the game's milestone update coming on March 28.

The short film is a mockumentary-style affair with the feel of a typical true-crime story. Detective Tim Rockford (Pascal) lays out the case in front of him - a seemingly normal "American as apple pie" situation surrounding a grandmother and her daughter. However, Grandma is overly fond of knives. She keeps them literally everywhere - hanging all over the walls of the house, in the yard outside the house, and even just lying around on the sofa. After she's arrested, everything points to her doing some unspeakable act, but there's no body or evidence to speak of other than the weapons and a cryptic message written in blood. It's a case that has the investigator, a podcaster covering the story, and even a veteran police officer totally stumped.

Merge Mansion is a simple, relaxing mobile game all about renovating a mansion that Grandma Ursula gifts to her granddaughter before it becomes condemned. As players progress, more of their family secrets are slowly revealed, painting a dark portrait of all involved. The advertisements, however, have been a big draw for the game. Rather than showcase the game itself, creators Metacore have leaned into the mystery aspect, starting with a viral ad of Grandma being taken away in a police car and pressing her hand against the window to reveal the message "He's still alive." The Pascal ad even references that key moment at the end of the short film.

pedro pascal
Image via Merge Mansion

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The Merge Mansion ads have gotten so popular that Pascal isn't even the first Hollywood actor to appear in them. Kathy Bates starred in multiple live-action advertisements for the game as Grandma Ursula, channeling her sinister Annie Wilkes energy opposite Severance's Grace Rex as Maddie. Pascal's involvement with the game will go deeper than just ads, however. The short film is a precursor to a VIP in-person immersive experience in Los Angeles. Metacore is transforming the famous Paramour Estate into the Boulton family mansion for what's billed as an event that's equal parts live-action theater, escape room, and lore museum. Pascal will be involved in the event along with other special guests courtesy of Metacore, though it's not clear how he'll take part in the festivities.

Pascal Was Pleased to Join the Passionate Team Behind Merge Mansion

Pascal, for his part, had a blast stepping into the world of Merge Mansion and working with director Martin Werner to make his fun crime mockumentary work. He said:

Merge Mansion has created a fascinating story centered around family drama filled with mystery and secrets that has captivated fans all around the world through their entertaining and unpredictable video campaigns. Making this short film for Merge Mansion was truly a unique experience and I had so much fun working with Martin to fulfill his vision and bring the lore of Merge Mansion to life. From the first day, it was clear how much love and passion the group at Metacore has for its characters and this game and I’m happy that I got to be a part of their next big moment.

Werner returned the sentiments, praising Pascal for elevating the project and thanking his team for helping to realize his vision:

This campaign has been a dream project for me. Getting the opportunity to translate the Merge Mansion game into a mockumentary short gave the crew and I the opportunity to flex all our filmic muscles. Being able to structure everything around a world class actor like Pedro Pascal took the concept to a higher level and although Pedro is playing a fictional character here, the legacy of his previous work felt like it combined perfectly with our take on the Merge Mansion universe. I am truly proud of what we have been able to put together, it required sheer precision and teamwork from the entire crew who all performed to the highest level from start to finish

You can learn more about Merge Mansion on the game's official website. Check out the short film below.