Until Dawn's movie adaptation won't follow the same story — here's why I think that's a good thing

A screenshot from the Until Dawn PS5 and PC trailer.

(Image credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment / Ballistic Moon / Supermassive Games)

Sony's movie adaptation of Until Dawn won't fully adapt the videogame's story
It'll feature a new cast of characters who get caught up in a completely different story
It'll apparently be released in April

We're no stranger to video game adaptations and Until Dawn is just the latest to get a live-action retelling. Adaptations like this can range from the great (aka The Last of Us) or the downright awful (Borderlands, anyone?), though, so I always get nervous whenever a new one is on the cards. However, new details about Until Dawn's big screen treatment has filled me with a bit more confidence.

Much like how Prime Video chose to approach Fallout, it 's been revealed that the Supermassive Games hit horror game won't follow the same story as the one depicted in its identically titled game. Confirmation of this came at CES 2025, with Sony revealing its Until Dawn movie will feature new characters facing new threats, so it won’t be a direct adaptation of the game. The thing that will make it recognizably Until Dawn is the fact the movie will feature Peter Stormare, who's reprising his role as Dr Alan Hill from the game.

For me, this is a very good thing. It gives the filmmakers the chance to play with the themes we know and love, especially within the slasher genre, and deliver something unique. for fans of the game and anyone who hasn't played it. Considering Until Dawn is a cinematic choose-your-own-adventure game, I don't really want a movie that rehashes the original plot but has to make concrete choices out of the ones presented in the game – no, I want to see something fresh, scary, and exciting. In my opinion, The Last of Us is the only adaptation that's really nailed the direct adaptation route and, even then, they chose to tackle certain topics differently or, in some cases, expand on the story depicted in Naughty Dog's award-winning post-apocalyptic drama game.

What else do we know about the Until Dawn movie?

David F. Sandberg is directing the Until Dawn movie. Considering he was behind the brilliant Lights Out. which is based on a short film, he's no stranger to adapting things into new mediums, particularly horror. It does sound like this adaptation is in good hands with him, then. It's also slated for an April 2025 release, but we haven't seen any trailers or images yet, so there's no telling if it'll be as atmospheric or cheesy as Supermassive's game is.

There's also a brand new cast attached, with the exception of Peter Stormare as mentioned above. We don't know anything about the roles yet, but actors like Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, and Odessa A'zion are all set to star in one of 2025's new movies. Here's hoping they deliver as good, if not better, performances as the starry cast who populated Until Dawn's videogame.

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Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd.