Cyberpunk 2077 Movie Won’t Be a Direct Adaptation of the Game

Last week, it was announced that Cyberpunk 2077, one of CD Projekt RED’s most popular games, will get a movie adaptation. Paramount Pictures is producing it, and the first details have now come out about how the film will relate to the game.

In an interview with PAP Biznes, CD Projekt RED co-CEO Michał Nowakowski claimed the Cyberpunk 2077 movie will not be a full adaptation of the game, and it will tell its own story instead. The studio apparently wants to follow the formula of the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners series on Netflix, which shows different sides of the shared universe. You can check out Nowakowski’s fuller comments below:

“At this point, we can only say that we definitely don't want to make a film adaptation of the game. We want to tell a story in the world of Cyberpunk, but it won't be a one-to-one translation of the game's story.”

Fans had mixed reactions to this news. On the one hand, they were eager to see a Cyberpunk 2077 adaptation on the big screen, especially considering that Keanu Reeves plays one of the game’s main characters, Johnny Silverhand. But it’s unlikely that all the game’s major events could fit into a standard-length movie. A loose adaptation could still include familiar characters from the universe, and as Zach Cregger’s recent Resident Evil film shows, a movie can succeed even if it looks very different from the games it’s based on.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who produced the Transformers and G.I. Joe films, is confirmed as the producer of the Cyberpunk 2077 adaptation. It’s still unknown who will direct or take the lead roles, though Kyle Gallner, the star of Smile and Smile 2, has already shown interest.

As for the Cyberpunk games, CD Projekt RED is actively working on a sequel, but its release date is still far off and unknown. Early last month, the studio confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 has sold 40 million copies and that Phantom Liberty has sold 15 million, which makes the franchise a key part of the company’s future success.