Sony’s ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ Now in Works as a Feature Film After Planned Netflix Series Shelved
A feature film based on the acclaimed Sony PlayStation video game “Horizon Zero Dawn” is in “early stages” development as a joint project between Columbia Pictures and PlayStation Productions.
Asad Qizilbash, the head of PlayStation Productions, announced the news as part of Sony’s presentation Monday night at CES 2025.
If you’re not a gamer but the project sounds familiar, it’s because “Horizon Zero Dawn” was previously announced — back in 2022 — as a Netflix series developed by “The Umbrella Academy” showrunner Steve Blackman in partnership with Michelle Lovretta {“Killjoys”). At some point since then however, the show was quietly shelved.
No reason for the shift from TV series to feature film was given during Qizilbash’s announcement, but it’s notable that in June of 2024, Rolling Stone published an expose in which Blackman was accused of bullying and other toxic behavior by staff members. Blackman has denied all accusations.
In any event, no time frame for the “Horizon Zero Dawn” adaptation’s release was provided. Presumably it will come out before 2066, [SPOILER] the year in which, according to the game’s timeline, all life on earth was destroyed.
For those who haven’t played, “Horizon Zero Dawn,” is an open world action adventure game set in the far future, where humanity is divided into strange, primitive tribes who live amid the decaying ruins of 21st century civilization. In constant conflict with each other, these tribes are also threatened by dangerous machines that mimic long-extinct forms of life.
The story focuses on Aloy (voiced by Ashley Burch), a young woman from one of these tribes forced to venture out into the world to discover her own origins. Along the way, she learns the truth about the mistakes — and crimes — that destroyed our world and created hers.
It was followed up in 2022 with “Horizon Forbidden West,” and a third installment is in development. The games have also been spun off into comic book series and a Lego video game adaptation, “Lego Horizon Adventures.”
Alongside Burch, the series featured a stacked voice cast that includes the late Lance Reddick and in the second game, “The Matrix” star Carrie Ann-Moss.
From Amsterdam-based Guerrilla Studios and Sony Interactive, “Horizon Forbidden West” was released on PlayStation 4 in 2017. It has sold more than 24 million units.
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