Horizon Could Be PlayStation’s Big Movie Win if It Stays Faithful to the Games

Following the successful cinematic adaptations of Uncharted and The Last of Us, Sony has announced that Horizon Zero Dawn is set to make its way to the big screen. PlayStation Studios and Columbia Pictures have confirmed the development of a movie that will delve into Aloy's origin story and the game's captivating, machine-filled world. Although the project is still in its early stages, there's a strong belief that it could become Sony's first major video game success at the box office, provided it remains faithful to the source material.

Recent years have seen a surge in successful video game adaptations across both film and television. The Super Mario Brothers and Sonic movies have set a high bar for family-friendly adaptations, excelling in both critical acclaim and box office performance. On the small screen, Sony's The Last of Us has joined the ranks of fan-favorite shows like Netflix's Arcane and Amazon Prime's Fallout. Even adaptations with mixed reviews, such as the Tom Holland-starring Uncharted movie, have managed to achieve significant box office success, grossing over $400 million.

However, the "video game curse" still lingers, with some adaptations failing to capture the essence of their source material. Uncharted, for instance, did not meet the expectations of fans hoping for a faithful adaptation. Similarly, last year's Borderlands film and Amazon's Like a Dragon: Yakuza series received poor reviews and underperformed at the box office due to their deviation from the original games' storylines, lore, and tone.

This issue extends beyond video game adaptations to adaptations in general. Netflix's The Witcher, for example, has taken significant liberties with its source material, altering events, characters, and the overall tone. While adaptations often require changes to suit their new medium, these examples can feel like entirely different entities, leading to disappointment among fans and potentially contributing to the project's failure.

Returning to Horizon, this isn't the first attempt to bring the game to screens. In 2022, Netflix announced a series based on the game, with rumors of a "Horizon 2074" project set in the pre-apocalypse era. This direction was polarizing among fans, who were eager for a story that stayed true to the original game's success and featured the iconic robot animals. Fortunately, the Netflix project is no longer in development, and Horizon is now being adapted into a feature film. This shift to cinema is a strategic move, as the larger budget will help bring the game's visually stunning world to life.

If Horizon receives the same careful adaptation as The Last of Us, there's no reason it can't be PlayStation's first major cinematic success. The success of shows like Fallout, Arcane, and The Last of Us demonstrates the importance of staying true to the source material's visuals, tone, and story. The Last of Us, while introducing new storylines, largely adhered to the game's narrative structure, resonating with both fans and newcomers.

Staying faithful to the original game is crucial not just for fan satisfaction but also because Horizon Zero Dawn's narrative has been highly acclaimed, winning the Best Narrative award at The Game Awards in 2017 and the Outstanding Achievement in Story at the 2018 DICE awards. The game's story, set in 31st century North America, follows Aloy, a member of the Nora Tribe, as she unravels the mystery of her origins and their connection to Elisabet Sobeck, a scientist from the old world. The characters and world are richly developed, with Aloy serving as a compelling protagonist and her allies, Erend and Varl, adding depth through their well-crafted relationships. The game also explores themes of climate change and rogue AI, adding further layers to the narrative.

The detailed world-building in Horizon, with its intricate communities and settlements, offers a rich canvas for a film franchise. Similar to how James Cameron's Avatar series explores the Na'vi tribes, a Horizon film could delve into the cultures of tribes like the Nora and their interactions with the robotic creatures that roam the Earth. The game's unique combat encounters, featuring creatures like Sawtooths, Tallnecks, and Stormbirds, provide visually stunning action sequences that could translate well to the big screen.

Horizon's story is inherently cinematic and, if adapted faithfully, has the potential to be a critical and commercial success. The game's unique world, timely themes, and expansive narrative, further developed in Forbidden West, offer a vast canvas for a long-term film franchise. If Sony can maintain the elements that made the game successful, Horizon has the potential to become a major cinematic franchise, matching the success of its source material across PlayStation consoles.

With other Sony titles like Ghost of Tsushima and Helldivers 2 also slated for adaptation, a successful approach with Horizon could set a precedent for future projects. However, straying from what made Horizon great could lead to negative fan feedback and financial difficulties, as seen with other failed adaptations. It's crucial that Sony, along with the chosen writers and directors, recognize the value of the original material and stay true to it in the film adaptation.