You might have thought that David F. Sandberg, the director behind Shazam! and Shazam: Fury of the Gods, would steer clear of IP films after the intense backlash he faced. However, his upcoming movie, Until Dawn, marks his return to the realm of IP adaptations. As the film gears up for its theatrical release, Sandberg opens up about the "very, very crazy" reactions to his DC Cinematic Universe projects and what drew him back to another IP venture.
"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg shared with GamesRadar+ about the adaptation of the beloved horror game, Until Dawn. "Trying to condense 10 hours into two, or something like that. But it is scary still, even though we're doing a new thing." He acknowledges that even with a game adaptation, fans have strong opinions on how their favorite stories should be brought to the screen.
"I mean, to be honest, fans can get very, very crazy and very angry with you. You can get, like, death threats and everything so after Shazam 2, I was like, 'I never wanna do another IP-based movie because it's just not worth it,'" Sandberg reflected on his DCU experience and its aftermath. Despite this, the intriguing potential of Until Dawn's story pulled him back in.
"But then I was sent this script, and I was like, 'Ah, this would be so much fun to do, to do all these kinds of horrors? I kind of have to do it, and hope that the people see what we're trying to do and like it,'" Sandberg said. He praised the writers for their innovative approach, particularly the time loop concept where the night restarts, mimicking the game's replayability and choice-driven narrative. "I think it's very much in the spirit of the game."
Sandberg understands that pleasing every fan when adapting an IP is a challenge, but his method seems designed to resonate with Until Dawn enthusiasts. "I think we would've gotten a lot of critique if we had tried to [recreate the game], because people would've been like, 'It's not as good. It's not the same actors, because, you know, they're older now,'" he explained. "You wouldn't be able to better the game, so you'd just be in a losing situation."
Until Dawn was penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman, known for his work on It: Chapter Two, and features Ella Rubin in the cast. The film is set to hit theaters on April 25, 2025.
