Familiar Star Joins Until Dawn Film, But Don’t Expect to See Beloved Characters in Live-Action

Looks like fans of Until Dawn might be in for a bit of a surprise with the upcoming live-action film. It seems like the familiar faces from the game won’t be making an appearance in this new adaptation.

As we approach the anniversary of the film adaptation’s announcement, anticipation is building. Unfortunately, we still haven’t seen a trailer yet, despite the film being scheduled for release next April. However, Sony did share some exciting news during their CES 2025 presentation this week. Among the announcements for a Helldivers 2 movie, a Horizon Zero Dawn film, a Ghost of Tsushima anime, and a new manga app from Crunchyroll, we got an update on the Until Dawn movie. Screen Gems president Ashley Bucks took the stage to clarify that the film isn’t a straightforward adaptation of the game. According to Bucks, director David F. Sandberg has captured “the essence of what makes the game great,” picking out key aspects that hold the most significance for fans, and in doing so, they’ve managed to honor its spirit.

Bucks elaborated that they’ve expanded the universe of Until Dawn, focusing on the main premise where a group of friends face various terrifying threats, crafting a visceral, horrifying new story. This might mean we won’t see the main characters from the original game, except perhaps in brief cameos. Nonetheless, Peter Stormare is reprising his role as Dr. Hill. He even appeared in a video message expressing his excitement about the project, describing it as a “love letter to horror” that stays true to the game’s essence.

The movie is set to introduce an array of fresh characters and victims, promising a brand new storyline packed with unexpected twists. Personally, I think this is a smart move. Straight adaptations often stumble, and last year’s Fallout shined by presenting something entirely novel. So, even if this news might be disappointing at first, it could very well turn out for the best.