While The Last of Us continues to astound critics and audiences on Max, another video game adaptation has been struggling to entertain them. 2025 has been an excellent year for video game movies and shows so far, as Sonic the Hedgehog 3 earned over $491 million after its December 20, 2024 release, and A Minecraft Movie is already the biggest movie of the year so far, as it continues to strive to cross the $1 billion mark. Even on the small screen, The Last of Us has already been renewed for season 3, while season 2 continues to air.
This marks a significant change from previous decades, as the 2010s featured a variety of failed adaptations that made video game movies and shows largely unpalatable. Aside from a few successful adaptations, including Warcraft (2016), Rampage (2018), and Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019), these films generally struggled to gain traction. Assassin’s Creed (2016), Hitman: Agent 47 (2015), and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) were all releases that deeply disappointed audiences. Unfortunately, despite the rise of successful video game movies in the 2020s, one new release is struggling.
Until Dawn Is Already Deeply Divisive
Audiences Are Far More Favorable
The Until Dawn movie has already proven to be divisive, just one day after its release. An adaptation of the hit 2015 video game, the film stars Ella Rubin (Clover Paul), Michael Cimino (Max), Odessa A’zion (Nina), and more, as a group of teenagers desperately trying to survive a time loop, as a deadly wendigo hunts them down. David F. Sandberg (Shazam!) served as the director, as he attempted to translate a choose-your-own-adventure narrative into a single theatrical storyline. It was released on April 25 and had a $15 million budget.
Unfortunately, the movie has already proven that it is dividing critics and audiences. It has earned a 51% Tomatometer score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, which is enough to earn a Rotten designation. Audiences have been much kinder, having offered a positive 70% score on the Popcornmeter, which is a good sign, though not exceptional. These scores are subject to change as more reviews come in, but they indicate that critics and audiences have a very different impression about this latest video game adaptation.
What Until Dawn’s Divisive Scores Mean
Neither Score Is Incredible
There is certainly potential in this inventive horror movie, and it is disappointing that it is failing to excite critics. ScreenRant‘s Mary Kassel reviewed Until Dawn early and found that it is “immersive, fun, and shines“ in its greatest moments, but even Kassel’s praise-heavy review admitted that the movie struggles with pacing. Critics have despaired about the breakneck pace, the campy story, and the lack of originality in a movie that should be steeped in it. Many also argued that the movie failed to live up to the compelling story of the game.
The $15 million budget means that reclaiming that budget is possible, but it will need to gain some momentum.
The audience’s response is likely more significant, however, as it could indicate a fairly positive word-of-mouth that could promote more interest in the film. The opening weekend has been fairly muted so far, as the movie is expected to earn just $8 million in its opening weekend. The $15 million budget means that reclaiming that budget is possible, but it will need to gain some momentum to ensure that it can achieve profitability. With its weak C+ CinemaScore, Until Dawn needed a positive Popcornmeter score, and it may just make a difference.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
Until Dawn
8/10
- Release Date
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April 25, 2025
- Runtime
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103 Minutes
- Director
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David F. Sandberg
- Writers
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Gary Dauberman, Blair Butler
- Producers
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Carter Swan, Roy Lee, Gary Dauberman, Charles Miller, Lotta Losten, Asad Qizilbash
