Sony’s CES 2025 showcase surprised attendees with several movie and TV announcements, including an official Helldivers 2 film adaptation. This collaboration between Sony Productions and Sony Pictures was revealed by Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, who expressed excitement about bringing the popular PlayStation game to the big screen.
Helldivers 2, developed by Arrowhead Games, draws inspiration from the cult classic Starship Troopers, depicting futuristic soldiers defending a fascist Super Earth regime against alien robots (Automatons) and insectoid creatures (Terminids), all while upholding the principles of "Managed Democracy."
While details remain scarce, Arrowhead CCO Johan Pilestedt confirmed some level of developer involvement to ensure faithfulness to the game's essence. However, he acknowledged Arrowhead's lack of filmmaking expertise and the appropriateness of not having final creative control. He stated, “I've been dodging this question…The short answer is yes. The long answer is that we'll see. We are not Hollywood people, and we don't know what it takes to make a movie. And therefore we don't, and shouldn't, have final say.”
The choice of Helldivers for adaptation, especially given the existing Starship Troopers franchise, is intriguing. The project appears to be in its early stages, suggesting further announcements may be some time away.
Helldivers 2's remarkable success, achieving 12 million copies sold in just 12 weeks, making it the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game ever, is further fueled by the recent release of the highly anticipated Illuminate update, introducing a third playable faction.
Sony's CES 2025 presentation also unveiled a Horizon Zero Dawn movie adaptation and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series, demonstrating the company's significant investment in video game adaptations. This follows the success of HBO's The Last of Us, with Season 2 slated for an April release.
