Until Dawn (film)

Last updated

Until Dawn
Until Dawn (2025) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by David F. Sandberg
Written by
Story byBlair Butler
Based on Until Dawn
by PlayStation Studios [a]
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Maxime Alexandre
Edited byMichel Aller
Music by Benjamin Wallfisch
Production
companies
Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date
  • April 25, 2025 (2025-04-25)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Until Dawn is an upcoming American horror film derived from the 2015 video game Until Dawn , set in the same universe and featuring an original standalone story that expands upon the game series' mythology. [1] The film was directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman from a screen story by Butler. It stars Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Odessa A'zion, Ji-young Yoo, Belmont Cameli, and Peter Stormare, who appeared in the game.

Contents

Until Dawn is scheduled to be released in the United States by Sony Pictures Releasing on April 25, 2025.

Premise

One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. They find themselves horrifically murdered, only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. Trapped in the valley, they’re forced to relive the nightmare again and again - only each time, the killer threat is different, each more terrifying than the last, and the only way to escape is to survive until dawn.

— Screen Gems

Cast

Production

In January 2024, it was announced that a live-action adaptation based on the video game Until Dawn was in development by Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions, with David F. Sandberg directing and Gary Dauberman writing the screenplay, based on a previous draft by Blair Butler. It was described as "an R-rated love letter to the horror genre, with an ensemble cast". [3] In June, Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino, Ji-young Yoo, and Odessa A'zion joined the cast in undisclosed roles. [4] In August, Maia Mitchell and Belmont Cameli were cast. [5] Peter Stormare who played Dr. Alan J. Hill in the video game, will portray a new character. [6]

Principal photography began in Budapest on August 5, 2024, [7] with Maxime Alexandre serving as the cinematographer, and wrapped on October 4, 2024. [8] Benjamin Wallfisch provided the score for the film. [9]

Release

Sony Pictures Releasing set the film to be released in the United States on April 25, 2025. [10]

Marketing

On January 14, 2025, Sony released a first-look where Sandberg, Dauberman, and Stormare break down the process behind making the film along with its story. [11] The first trailer would release online two days later. [12] The trailer introduced a limited time-loop mechanic, allowing the characters only a few "do-overs" after being killed by various monsters, similar to the game's emphasis on survival choices. [13]

The release of the film's first trailer was criticized by online websites. Erik Kain of Forbes noted that while the film's concept is intriguing, the adaptation is redundant, comparing it to Uncharted and its corresponding 2022 film. He asserted that since the original Until Dawn's premise was to take the concept of watching a horror movie and transform it into an interactive experience, readapting it to film defeats its purpose. [14] Editor-in-Chief Stacey Henley of The Gamer called the upcoming film "Hollywood's Latest Gaming Insult", listing Until Dawn as one of the many video game film adaptations that "disrespects" the source material. [15]

In an interview with ScreenRant , Sandberg and Butler commented on the adaptation's relationship to the original game. Butler noted, "...it turned out that the remaster was coming out roughly the same time that we were hoping to get this movie together. And that was another reason that I think everyone involved, Gary [Dauberman], as well, didn't want to just remake the original storyline, beat for beat." Sandberg, in response, said,

...the game is pretty much a 10-hour movie, so I think it wouldn't have been as interesting for me if we were doing just the game, because then it's going to be like a cut-down, non-interactive version of the game, which just wouldn't be the same thing. [16]

Notes

  1. ↑ Until Dawn was developed by Supermassive Games, published by Sony Computer Entertainment, directed by Will Byles and Nik Bowen, written by Larry Fessenden and Graham Reznick, produced by Pete Samuels, and designed by Tom Heaton; PlayStation Studios, formerly known at the time of the game's release as SCE Worldwide Studios, oversaw development of the game.

References

  1. ↑ "Until Dawn Movie Has A Unique Mechanic Inspired By The Game, See First Footage". GameSpot. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  2. ↑ Dinsdale, Ryan (January 14, 2025). "Until Dawn Film Adaptation Is About Teens Stuck in a Time Loop Where Every Cycle Is a New Horror Genre". IGN . Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  3. ↑
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  9. ↑ "Benjamin Wallfisch to Reteam with David F. Sandberg on 'Until Dawn' Film Adaptation". Film Music Reporter. December 18, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2025.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (February 13, 2025). "Going back is the only way to get out in the Until Dawn movie's latest trailer". The Verge. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  14. ↑ Kain, Erik. "Sony's 'Until Dawn' Movie Looks Nothing Like The Video Game". Forbes. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  15. ↑ Henley, Stacey (January 14, 2025). "The Until Dawn Movie Is Hollywood's Latest Gaming Insult". TheGamer. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
  16. ↑ Hermanns, Grant (February 13, 2025). "How Until Dawn Combines Multiple Horror Movie Genres For One Unique, Time-Looping Experience Detailed By Director & Co-Writer". ScreenRant. Retrieved February 25, 2025.
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