In January, it was revealed that an adaptation of Until Dawn was in the works, with director David F. Sandberg and writer Gary Dauberman leading the project. Sony’s Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions have teamed with the duo to bring the fan-favorite game to life on the big screen.
Until Dawn, which was originally released in 2015, is an interactive horror game, following eight individuals who are brought together for a remote mountain retreat. However, they soon find themselves fending off a mysterious killer and wendigos. The choose-your-own-adventure title featured an all-star cast led by Hayden Panettiere, Rami Malek, Brett Dalton, and Jordan Fisher. While it remains unclear if any of the game’s cast members will make the jump to the upcoming adaptation, the upcoming project appears to be in perfect hands with Sandberg at the helm.
What Makes Until Dawn Perfect for a Movie
Until Dawn is one of the most successful choose-your-own adventure horror games in recent years. Praised by fans and critics alike for its atmospheric horror, attention to detail, and character-driven story, Until Dawn quickly became a cult classic among video game fans. It has been compared to Cabin in the Woods, a horror movie that takes cues from video games, which features a slew of monsters constantly released to try and take out the cast of characters. The upcoming film is expected to be rated R, like its video game counterpart, and is being described as a love letter to the horror genre.
Sandberg and Dauberman have previously proved themselves capable of crafting a well-balanced horror story with Annabelle: Creation. For Sandberg, Until Dawn marks a return to form for the director, having recently directing two Shazam! movies for Warner Bros. and DC. Sandberg built his career on horror shorts in his native Sweden. Dauberman, for his part, has worked on an adaptation of Salem’s Lot, which he also directed, and various installments in the Conjuring universe. With an impressive resume of horror between the two of them, it’s hard not to believe Until Dawn is in the perfect hands.
More Games Worthy of an Adaptation
Of course, Until Dawn isn’t the only choose-your-own adventure game ripe for adapting. Here are five more games that deserve the same treatment as Until Dawn, varying from horror to sci-fi to fantasy.
Life is Strange
One of the most successful choose-your-own adventure video game franchises, Life is Strange came close to getting an adaptation in 2017 after dj2 Entertainment secured the rights. That project, unfortunately, never came to fruition. Then, in 2022, a new report seemed to suggest a Life is Strange series was finally coming thanks to Amazon. That rumor, however, has remained a rumor for the time being, although dj2 Entertainment does have a first look deal with Amazon, making it a possibility.
The narrative-driven game is a coming-of-age story that focuses on a teenager named Max after she returns to her hometown. Max ends up gaining some strange new abilities after an accident involving her friend, Chloe. With the game’s use of time travel, music, and environments, Life is Strange would make for an exciting coming-of-age film.
Heavy Rain
Heavy Rain is a very heavy game drama-wise. It is a human-driven story that explores love and loss. The story focuses on a father who is on the hunt for his child, and a mysterious killer that goes by the name of the Origami Killer. It’s not a game for everyone. While well-crafted, Heavy Rain‘s subject matter can be disturbing and uncomfortable at times. But for those keen on thrillers, Heavy Rain is perfect.
In order to properly serve the game’s storyline, though, Heavy Rain shouldn’t be adapted for a film. This is the type of property that would do best as a Netflix limited series.
Detroit: Become Human
Detroit: Become Human was released in 2018 to much fanfare. The game takes place in the future and focuses on society’s use of technology and AI’s ability to appear human. Although focusing on androids, Detroit: Become Human is a very emotionally driven story. With AI serving as such a controversial topic these days, an adaptation of a game like Detroit: Become Human has plenty to offer.
It’s not entirely a new concept, of course. Plenty of science fiction titles in the past have tackled the idea of androids gaining free will. However, with excellent characterizations and a solid story, Detroit: Become Human is the perfect kind of android tale for Hollywood to bring to life.
The Quarry
Hailing from the same creators of Until Dawn, The Quarry is another choose-your-own horror adventure that features a group of folks who are forced to figure out who the mysterious killer is as things fall apart around them. Unlike Until Dawn, though, there’s the addition of a tarot card reader who adds plenty of creep factor to an already hauntingly fun game.
The tarot cards, which quickly prove to be an important part of the game, allow players to get a glimpse of the future for various characters. This aspect is perhaps the most thrilling part of The Quarry. It’s exciting, yet terrifying, to see what horrors may await. Aside from the tarot inclusion, though, The Quarry often feels like the perfect predecessor for the Friday the 13th franchise. It offers a mysterious threat, a chilling atmosphere, and a well-crafted story that knows how to properly use its characters to its advantage. The Quarry is ripe for a live-action movie adaptation.
Nobody Saves the World
This game is perfect for an animated adaptation, and seemingly doesn’t get the attention it deserves. As Nobody, players are forced to master the art of transformation in order to try and stop the recently re-awakened Calamity, in hopes of saving the world. Players must master transforming into a slug, ghost, dragon, and plenty of other beings in order to stop Calamity. Nobody Saves the World is pure fun, and it’s hard not to imagine it as an animated project.
It’s a simple premise, one that seems ever-present in any successful story. And yet, Nobody Saves the World manages to deliver a truly exciting tale. Nobody’s ability to transform courtesy of his stolen wand allows him to become more than a simple blob. Each creature that Nobody transforms into comes with its own strengths, weaknesses and abilities, making Nobody’s transformations all the more exciting as players learn the changes along with him. The character designs are fun and well-crafted, and while the story does feel repetitive at times, a movie adaptation could simply avoid the repetitive tasks and focus instead on the creatures and the wand.
There are plenty of other games that deserve a chance at a proper adaptation, of course. These are merely some titles Hollywood should consider, especially if the forthcoming Until Dawn movie proves to be successful.
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