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Until Dawn’ Film Pulls A Slasher ‘Groundhog Day’, Shows Little Connection To Game

Video game adaptations come and go, but some things stay the same. Even as their reputation slowly takes a turn for the better, faithfulness to the source material has always been a major consideration for fans, setting expectations that can make or break a project.

David F. Sandberg’s Until Dawn movie, based on Supermassive Games‘ horror title, is set to bring an entirely fresh spin to the experience. Building on an earlier tease of a time loop plotline, its official trailer comes packed with original elements, including a Groundhog Day premise, bearing little connection to the game. A few Wendigos seem to be running wild, and both Josh’s Doctor and the killer’s mask are briefly shown, but that’s about it. At least there’s still the slashing violence and thrill of the chase to look forward to.

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The official description of the live-action adaptation reads:

“One year after her sister Melanie mysteriously disappeared, Clover and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor centre, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one…only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening. Trapped in the valley, they’re forced to relive the nightmare again and again — only each time the killer threat is different, each more terrifying than the last. Hope dwindling, the group soon realises they have a limited number of deaths left, and the only way to escape is to survive until dawn.”

Ella Rubin (The Idea of You) leads the cast, joining the likes of Michael Cimino (Love, Victor), Ji-young Yoo (Expats), Odessa A’zion (Hellraiser), and Peter Stormare (Prison Break), who reprises his role in the game as Dr. Hill. Released in 2015, Until Dawn saw players controlling eight young adults who have to survive on Blackwood Mountain when their lives are threatened, as they explore the environment and find clues to solve the mystery.

Until Dawn Movie

The interactive drama was best known for its butterfly effect system, in which the player’s choice may change the story and the fate of the characters. In the upcoming film, this mechanic is represented through the time loop prominently featured in 1993’s Groundhog Day, involving a cynical television weatherman who becomes trapped in a time loop and is forced to relive 2 February — the date of the titular event — repeatedly.

The Until Dawn film hits theatres on 25 April 2025.