Fans have shared mixed reactions to the recent teaser for the upcoming movie adaptation of the popular video game Until Dawn on social media.
Initially released for the PlayStation 4 in 2015, Until Dawn is a choose-your-own-adventure horror game that follows the interactive story of eight friends as their wintertime trip to an isolated lodge in the mountains turns deadly. Stalked by monsters and a masked killer, the group must rise above their troubled relationships if they want to survive the night.
The game’s launch was a critical and commercial success, thanks to its cinematic storytelling and a star-studded cast. When a movie adaptation was announced, many fans were excited, seeing it as a natural progression for the interactive, movie-like narrative of the game.
However, expectations took a hit after the teaser’s release earlier this week, which revealed that the movie’s plot differs significantly from the original game. Rather than being a faithful adaptation, the Until Dawn movie appears to follow a loose approach, similar to the 2022 Uncharted film starring Tom Holland.
Written and produced by Gary Dauberman and directed by David F. Sandberg, the Until Dawn movie looks to be a loose adaptation of the original game, with a plot similar to Groundhog Day.
According to the official synopsis, the story follows Clover, who gathers her friends to search for her missing sister Melanie one year after she disappeared. As the group investigates Melanie’s last known location in a remote valley, they become trapped and are hunted by a mysterious killer. Forced to relive the same night over and over again, the group must evade the killer with a limited number of lives until they make it to morning.
While Until Dawn will have Easter eggs reference the original game, Sandberg noted that he wanted to tell a different story while keeping the original tone of the game.
The stark differences between the movie and the source material have tempered some of the excitement of the movie’s release. That said, fans who are interested will get a better look at the movie when the official trailer releases in the coming weeks.
Until Dawn movie adaptation releases in theaters April 25, 2025.
