Horizon’s Live-Action Movie Targets 2027 — Here’s What Needs to Go Right

Horizon is heading to theaters in 2027 – but does a feature film fit this world?

This caught my eye not because “robot dinos on the big screen” is an easy sell, but because Horizon is the rare blockbuster game where the lore, tone, and careful pacing matter as much as the spectacle. According to remarks attributed to PlayStation Productions boss Asad Qizilbash during Sony’s dust-up with Tencent, the live-action Horizon feature has a finished script, Columbia Pictures on board, and a target to film in 2026 for a 2027 release. The studio is still hunting for a director – a big, blinking warning light that the vision isn’t locked yet.

• Script is reportedly complete; director search is active.
• Columbia Pictures involvement points to a theatrical push.
• Target timeline: shoot in 2026, release in 2027.
• No casting or story details yet – including who plays Aloy.

Breaking down the announcement

Qizilbash’s statement, translated from French, is straightforward: “We already have a working script and are actively searching for a director, with the goal of filming in 2026 and releasing in 2027. This live-action feature continues the recent collaborations between Columbia Pictures and PlayStation Productions, notably on Uncharted (2022) and Gran Turismo (2023).” That’s classic PlayStation Productions positioning — reassure the market that the pipeline is real, anchor it to recent wins, and plant a flag on the calendar.

But the timing is interesting. Horizon’s rumored Netflix series has been quiet for months amid reports of turbulence. Meanwhile, the legal spat over the alleged Horizon lookalike “Light of Motiram” suddenly reveals fresh film details. Translation: Sony is still bullish on Horizon as a transmedia tentpole, even if the path has zig-zagged.

Why a movie (not a series) raises the stakes

Horizon Zero Dawn’s power comes from its slow-burn mystery — the Faro Plague, Project Zero Dawn, Aloy’s identity — layered across exploration and tribal politics. Compressing that into a two-hour film is the kind of challenge that turned so many game adaptations into theme park rides with exposition dumps. The Last of Us worked on TV precisely because it had room to breathe; Uncharted’s film hit the beats but felt safe. Horizon deserves more than a montage of Tallnecks and a big third-act Thunderjaw fight.

That said, a feature can work if it narrows its scope. Pick a tight arc: Aloy’s proving; her banishment; one central machine threat; a single major lore reveal instead of the entire codex. If Columbia and PlayStation insist on the full Zero Dawn download in one go, expect a flashy, forgettable lore dump. If they focus on character and theme — found family, knowledge versus superstition, nature reclaiming the Anthropocene — we might get something with staying power.

Casting and VFX: the make-or-break

No cast is announced, but let’s be honest: Aloy is the whole ballgame. Ashly Burch’s performance defined the character in games — pragmatic, curious, a little flinty — and whoever steps into the role needs to carry that mix while selling an action lead. The supporting tribes (Nora, Carja, Oseram) will need careful writing to avoid cardboard stereotypes, and the world’s tactile feel matters. Horizon’s beauty comes from real landscapes contrasted with gleaming, animalistic machines; you can’t green-screen your way into that resonance.

On the VFX side, the machines have to move with logic: Sawtooths stalk, Stormbirds dominate the sky, Scrappers scuttle and scavenge. If animations are weightless or generic “big robot go boom,” it’ll feel like any sci-fi beat-’em-up. Practical plates, strong previs, and machine behavior that mirrors in-game AI patterns would go a long way for fans who know these creatures by silhouette and sound.

PlayStation’s transmedia push, with mixed results

PlayStation Productions has momentum, but a varied report card. Uncharted was financially successful but creatively safe. Gran Turismo surprised by leaning into a true-story angle, even if it bent reality to fit the brand. On deck we’ve got Ghost of Tsushima with Chad Stahelski (great fit for grounded action), God of War as a big-budget series at Amazon, and more adaptations circling. The lesson so far: the winners pick a sharp creative angle instead of copy-pasting game plots into a different medium.

Horizon needs that angle. Maybe it’s a survival-western with machines instead of horses. Maybe it’s a mystery thriller about lost knowledge with Aloy as the stubborn archaeologist-hero. Commit to one tone and let the world serve it, not the other way around.

What gamers should watch for

• Director choice: a filmmaker comfortable with tactile world-building and creature logic, not just CG fireworks.
• Scope discipline: one clean emotional arc, not a lore omnibus.
• Casting Aloy: an actor who can carry curiosity and grit without quippy Marvel autopilot.
• Release timing: a 2027 film would pair nicely with the next mainline Horizon if Sony wants a cross-media push — but don’t rush VFX to hit a date.

I’m cautiously hopeful. Horizon’s art direction is a cheat code for striking cinema, but its soul is in the why, not the wow. If Columbia and PlayStation chase the former — and find a director with a point of view — this could be more than another “games can be movies too” proof-of-concept. It could actually feel like Horizon.

TL;DR

A Horizon live-action film is targeting a 2026 shoot and 2027 release, with a script reportedly done and Columbia Pictures involved, but no director yet. The concept screams spectacle, but success hinges on a focused story, smart casting for Aloy, and VFX that capture how Horizon’s machines behave — not just how they explode.