Formed in 2019 by parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation Productions seeks to buck the convention of sub-par video game adaptations by having a hand in each Movie or TV Show produced. Announced as an initial ten-project slate, here’s where each project is in its production, and if it’ll be a movie or TV series.

Uncharted

     Sony Pictures Releasing

The first project released under the Playstation Productions brand, the long-in-development Uncharted movie kicked-off Playstation’s film slate, with an unexpected approach to adapting the best-selling action-adventure series from developer Naughty Dog. Rather than translating the first game’s story into a feature film, Uncharted acts as an origin story to the franchise. In this film, Tom Holland plays a younger Nathan Drake, who falls into the world of high-stakes treasure hunting when he meets Victor “Sully” Sullivan, played by Mark Walhberg.

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The film received mixed-reviews, but was fairly successful for being released in February 2022, grossing over 400 million dollars just as theaters were re-opening after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a lot of ways, Uncharted’s biggest accomplishment is existing at all. It sets a precedent of large-scale investment in the adaptations of PlayStation’s most beloved franchises.

The Last of Us

     HBO

The second adaptation from Playstation Productions is also its first Television Series, as it teams with HBO to adapt another Naughty Dog franchise, The Last of Us. Taking place in a world decades after a zombie-like plague destroyed civilization, a smuggler, Joel (played in the games by Troy Baker, in the new series by Pedro Pascal) must escort a young girl named Ellie (portrayed by Ashley Johnson in the video game, Bella Ramsey in the show) across America. The initial game was lauded for its grounded storytelling, and morally-ambiguous characters, aspects which feel suited for an HBO adaptation. The Last of Us TV Show is also building goodwill with fans by including the original games’ narrative director Neil Druckmann as Co-Writer and Director on a few episodes.

Suffice to say, anticipation is high for The Last of Us series, especially with Chernobyl’s Craig Mazin as showrunner. The series has just started to release first-looks, and recently dropped a new trailer. The Last of Us (HBO) is set to premiere on January 15, 2023.

Gran Turismo

     Sony Pictures

Possibly the most interesting adaptation slated, Gran Turismo originated as a racing game for the first PlayStation console, and became one of PlayStation’s highest-selling series, with over 90 Million copies sold. Gran Turismo is a driving simulator, featuring no protagonist or in-game story, so the upcoming feature film adaptation seeks to integrate the existence of the driving sim in its own story. Directed by District 9’s Neill Blomkamp, the movie will feature a teenage Gran Turismo player who becomes a real-life racecar driver. This original story approach is a highlight for PlayStation Production’s slate, showing the variable approach to adaptation that each project is taking.

Twisted Metal

     Sony Entertainment  

Another beloved PlayStation automotive series, Twisted Metal bucks conventional races for “car-combat”, as drivers attempt to destroy each other in their own weapon-laden cars, motorcycles, and ice cream trucks. The games’ story revolves around a Mortal Kombat-like tournament devised by the demon Calypso, who offers one wish to the surviving driver of the contest.

A TV Series was announced in conjunction with Universal Television for its streaming service, Peacock. Developed by Deadpool and Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and

Paul Wernick, the adaptation hopes to model the original games’ grimy, sadistic aesthetic and dark sense of humor. Anthony Mackie has been cast as the series lead, John Doe, with Will Arnett providing the voice to the series’ famous killer clown, Sweet Tooth. Twisted Metal (Peacock) recently completed filming on its first season, which is expected sometime in 2023.

God of War

     Sony Interactive Ent.

Horizon

     Horizon Zero Dawn from Sony

With PlayStation Productions’ plan to co-produce its projects alongside large entertainment studios, it’s no surprise that Netflix jumped in on the action. The streaming giant chose to adapt the Horizon franchise, which was created by Guerilla Studios and features two installments so far, Horizon: Zero Dawn for the Playstation 4 and Horizon: Forbidden West for the Playstation 5. Horizon takes place on Earth, thousands of years after its own apocalypse, now overrun by plant life, and dinosaur-like machines. The story begins with Aloy, an outcast from the surviving human tribes, discovers a link between herself, and an identical scientist back that was alive during the 2010s.

As part of a multi-year deal with Netflix, Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman is set to write, as well as act as co-showrunner alongside Michelle Lovretta. There is no expected release date, yet.

Gravity Rush

     Sony Interactive Entertainment

Likely the least identifiable title on the slate, Gravity Rush (also known as Gravity Daze) is a Japan-favorite series that originated on PlayStation’s cult handheld, the PS Vita. With two installments released so far, the games follow Kat, who has the ability to manipulate her own sense of gravity, as she protects the floating city of Hekseville. Scott Free Productions, the company formed by Ridley and Tony Scott, will co-produce the adaptation as a feature film, with Secret Society of Second-Born Royals’ Anna Mastro directing from a script by The Black List-charting writer Emily Jerome.

Gravity Rush has been lauded for its innovative uses of physics in a video game, as well as for its lush watercolor-like art design. While its aesthetic assumes an adaptation would be animated, Scott Free Productions almost exclusively produces live-action films.

Jak and Daxter

     Sony Interactive EntertainmentNaughty Dog

While a sequel to Uncharted might have been expected after its box office success, director Ruben Fleischer surprised Playstation fans when he announced () he’s instead working on a film based on the PS2 collect-a-thon, Jak and Daxter. Tom Holland even expressed interest in starring.

Created by Uncharted/Last of Us developers Naughty Dog, Jak and Daxter was born from the era of mascot platformers, it follows two best friends, one of which was recently turned into an otter-like animal, who seek out the mysterious “Precursors”. One of the most interesting aspects of Jak and Daxter is how the series changed across its four game installments, shifting from a lighthearted adventure into an action-packed, gun-wielding thrill ride. Fleischer does have a knack for lighthearted grittiness after directing movies like Venom and Zombieland, so it will be interesting to see how Jak and Daxter end up on the screen.

Ghost of Tsushima

     Sony Interactive EntertainmentSucker Punch Productions

Created by PlayStation mainstays Sucker Punch Studios, Ghost of Tsushima takes a true historical event, the first Mongol invasion of Japan’s Tsushima Island during the 13th century, and imbues it with next-generation action. It follows Jin Sakai, a samurai who struggles to maintain his honorable code as he weaponizes immoral tactics to fight the Mongols. The game is deeply rooted in the tradition of Samurai Films, even sporting a “Kurasawa Mode” which changes the visual aesthetic to a grainy black-and-white film stock. Not only was the game successful, but it was credited for a new wave of interest in Tsushima Island, which led to the game developers being named official ambassadors of the island.

Director Chad Stahelski (John Wick: Chapter Four) recently shared that he wants the movie to feature an entirely Japanese cast, and for it to be completely shot in the Japanese language. With the support of Sony and the actual Tsushima island, Ghost of Tsushima has the possibility to be one of PlayStation Productions more impactful, authentic adaptations.

A Secret 10th Project

     Blockade Entertainment

When the formation of PlayStation Productions was announced, Tony Vinciquerra, CEO and Chairman of Sony Pictures, stated that the initial slate would involve ten projects. This leaves at least one project unannounced, although it’s likely this number has only grown since. So what is it?

While it’s possible to revive canceled projects like the animated Sly Cooper movie, the most likely choice is Uncharted 2. While a follow-up to Uncharted (2022) is not confirmed, the original film’s 400+ million box office gains are enough to warrant a sequel. The movie also featured a final scene that set up the next treasure hunt for Nathan and Sully, as they begin their search for El Dorado. The famed golden city was the treasure sought after in the first game in the series, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. So while it could be seen as completing the origin story the movie purports to tell, it is much more likely a tease for another installment.

With ten projects slated and the possibility of many more to come, PlayStation Productions is in a position to collaborate with some of the biggest studios in entertainment, and bring the stories of the best interactive experiences to new audiences.