Until Dawn Movie Adaptation: What We Know About The Video Game Film

Until Dawn is now a part of our upcoming horror movies list – and this is what we know so far about the new film.  

In May 2022, when Resident Evil on Netflix was another one of its umpteenth adaptations (this time as a TV series) within the Resident Evil franchise, I wrote an article about video games. Specifically, I wrote about the horror video games that deserve to be turned into movies. 

One of my picks was Until Dawn, a PlayStation exclusive (it will eventually be available on Windows), and now, it’s finally getting the adaptation it deserves. But what is this? And who is going to be working on it? Here is what we know so far about the film adaptation of Until Dawn.

What Is The Until Dawn Release Date?

As of August 2024, there is no set release date for the Until Dawn movie adaptation – but that doesn’t mean we can’t theorize. 

I doubt that this film will be released on any 2024 movie schedule – 2025 could be a possibility because filming has started, as we’ll get into below, but we don’t have a confirmed date just yet. 

Many horror films are made pretty quickly, but there are many things stopping Until Dawn from reaching a soon-ish release date. The monsters within the game (which will most likely be in the movie) are quite creepy-looking and will most likely take a lot of makeup and CGI effects to make them look realistic. 

Not only that, but there are two hundred-plus possible endings in the original game. While I doubt this will be the case in the movie, where we can choose our way to whatever end we want, I don’t think coming up with the best story for this movie from a game with so many possible endings will be easy, but here’s hoping that whatever way they pick, it’ll be good. 

The Until Dawn Cast

When I first wrote this article, no one was cast, but now, we have a whole slew of people that were confirmed by Deadline in June 2024. These include:

Ella Rubin

Ella Rubin was cast in Until Dawn. Rubin even took to Instagram to share how excited she was to be filming the movie:

Most recently, she was in the Amazon Prime original movie, The Idea of You, but also held a role in Masters of the Air, one of the best Apple TV+ shows. 

Michael Cimino

Michael Cimino was also cast in Until Dawn. Cimino also took the Instagram to share his excitement for the film, and that he couldn’t wait to make people “scream in theaters:”

The actor is known primarily for his role in Love, Victor, one of the best LGBTQ+ shows out there, but has appeared in other shows such as Never Have I Ever and Hamster & Gretel. 

Ji-young Yoo

Ji-young Yoo was cast in Until Dawn, and has appeared in films such as Moxie, The Sky is Everywhere and more. She also held a recurring role in Sweet Home, a great South Korean horror show. 

Odessa A’zion

Odessa A’zion was also confirmed by Deadline for Until Dawn. The actress appeared in the shows Fam and Grand Army, and also played roles in movies like Hellraiser, Fresh Kills, Am I OK? and more. 

Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed three other cast members in July 2024. These include:

Maia Mitchell

Maia Mitchell was confirmed to be joining the cast. She’s appeared in movies like the Teen Beach films, Hot Summer Nights, Never Goin’ Back and more. She also held a leading role in The Fosters and Good Trouble. 

Belmont Cameli

Belmont Cameli will be appearing in Until Dawn. The actor has appeared in shows like Saved by the Bell (the reboot) and other movies like Along for the Ride, Most Guys Are Losers and more. 

Peter Stormare As Dr. Hill

Peter Stormare will play Dr. Hill in Until Dawn. You might notice that he’s the only cast member that has a character name attached to him, and that’s because he’s actually reprising the same character that he played in the video game, according to The Hollywood Reporter article above. Stormare has appeared in films like Fargo, Constantine, 22 Jump Street and more. 

Already this cast is so fantastic. I have to say that I doubt many other cast members from the video game will come back for the movie. It could also end up being a situation like The Last of Us cast, where the original actress who played Ellie in the game came back in a guest role for the TV show, while Bella Ramsay actually played Ellie. We could see them appear in a different, minor role. Only time will tell. 

What Is Until Dawn About?

So, for those who don’t know anything about Until Dawn, here is your crash course – it's an interactive drama horror game from Supermassive Games, a developer who made the project for PlayStation.

Until Dawn follows the story of a group of young adults staying in a cabin for a weekend when dangerous monsters on the outside threaten their lives, and they literally have to survive until dawn, when they can get help, and the monsters – Wendigos – are not outside. 

The game is what I would call a “choose-your-own-demise,” where there is a butterfly effect in place – meaning, one little choice can either make or break your playthrough, and give you plenty of different endings. 

The game became so popular that there’s even going to be a PS5 remaster released – which, yes, I am going to buy. 

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Until Dawn will be an adaptation of the video game of the same name. But, we have no idea what the specifics of the story will be about, especially considering the original game had so many different possible endings. 

However, what we do know is that Screen Gems, one of the production companies behind the movie, is describing the film as “R-rated” (because, duh) and “a love letter to the horror genre” that will revolve around an ensemble cast. 

Already, I’m digging the vibes. Let’s light this candle. 

David F. Sandberg Will Direct

As of updating this in August 2024, David F. Sandberg will be directing Until Dawn. He even released a statement in the article from The Hollywood Reporter in regards to the casting of the film:

Sandberg also took to Instagram to celebrate the beginning of filming in August 2024, posting to his feed:

The Swedish director has worked on several major horror films, such as Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation in The Conjuring universe, and the Shazam! films, but Until Dawn will mark his return to the horror movie world. 

Gary Dauberman Is Looking Over The Script Originally Written By Blair Butler

We know from The Hollywood Reporter article that Gary Dauberman is reviewing the script that Blair Butler originally wrote.

Both of these names are famous in the horror movie industry. Butler has worked on various horror-related projects, such as The Invitation, and Gary Dauberman has written all three Annabelle movies and The Nun. Dauberman also co-wrote the Stephen King adaptation of IT in 2017 and its follow-up, IT Chapter Two.

I mean, come on – I think this film will be excellent.

Filming Has Officially Begun

As mentioned above, filming for Until Dawn officially began in August 2024. While the director confirmed it, Asad Qizilbash, the Head of Product at PlayStation Studios, confirmed it as well on his Twitter page: 

So now I’m even more excited to see this film. With Until Dawn confirmed, I think it’s time to revisit the game and test my reaction skills again, because now I need to prepare myself for the horror movie of the decade. It's time to get scared all over again. And, if you’re craving another horror video game adaptation, check out our guide for the film adaptation of Death Stranding.