David F. Sandberg’s Until Dawn – a life-on-repeat, terror-trope-smashing loop of death – hits theaters this Friday. A big-screen adaptation of the beloved 2015 PlayStation horror game, it puts time-loop terror through a meat grinder of frenetic tension, Grand Guignol gore, and wild, left-field unpredictability.
Ahead of the release, Sandberg reflected on the exciting and intense journey that brought PlayStation’s blood-soaked puzzle box to life on the big screen. Known for his work on Lights Out and Shazam, Sandberg has long embraced the darker edges of filmmaking – but Until Dawn gave him the rare chance to fuse the game’s brutal, gore-drenched core with something fresh for both die-hard fans and newcomers alike.
The film held a special premiere last week, and according to Sandberg, it was everything he’d hoped for. “The movie played so well with the audience,” he recalled, with a grin. “They were so vocal—screaming, laughing, shouting, ‘What the hell?’ It’s full of surprises, so seeing the audience react like that was incredibly satisfying.”
For Sandberg, making Until Dawn was an exercise in bridging the gap between the hardcore fans of the game and people unfamiliar with its world. While the game’s interactive, relentlessly terrifying story set the bar high, Sandberg wanted the film to feel accessible without losing the spirit of the original. “What I loved about the script was that it didn’t just retell the same story from the game,” he explained. “It expanded the universe. It’s all in the same world, so you can play the game or watch the movie, and it all connects. But it was freeing because we could do almost whatever we wanted.”
The connection to PlayStation, however, was undeniable. “It was nice because PlayStation was involved, and they were adamant about certain things needing to be in the film. For example, they really wanted Peter Stormare to return as Hill, which I totally agreed with.” Sandberg chuckled when recalling the lengths he went to ensure Stormare’s involvement. “Since we’re both Swedish, I wrote him a letter in Swedish. He didn’t need much convincing – he cares a lot about that character.”
Stormare’s role in Until Dawn felt like a natural fit for Sandberg, especially given their shared history. In fact, the actor was originally on Sandberg’s radar for his first feature, Lights Out. “The studio didn’t think he could play a family man in Lights Out because he was too creepy,” Sandberg said. “But here, he could be as creepy as he wanted to be.”
Despite the playful tone of these memories, Sandberg’s commitment to staying true to the game’s intense nature was unwavering. As much as he wanted to stay true to the spirit of Until Dawn, there was a fine balance to strike. “The game is so violent, with a lot of gore. It was important to keep that tone,” Sandberg noted. “We couldn’t make a PG-13 movie when the game is so out there. At the same time, we had to ensure that things didn’t feel over-the-top. There had to be consequences to the characters’ actions.”
As Sandberg reflected on the challenge of making an R-rated film that still connected with the audience, he explained the thought process behind his decisions. “One of the key things story-wise was to ensure there was a limit to how many times the characters could die. It needed to feel like there were real stakes, so it didn’t just become like Groundhog Day, where you could die and try again with no real consequences.”
Interestingly, Sandberg didn’t overly stress about pushing boundaries. “I didn’t really think about not going too far,” he admitted. “Sometimes, it was more about time and budget constraints than anything else. There were scenes, like the found-footage sequence, where we didn’t have all the actors every day, so we had to get creative. Those moments were really fun to do, and I loved having the freedom to try things I’ve always wanted to.”
One such idea was something that had been brewing in Sandberg’s mind for years: the already infamous “worm-in-the-face” scene which has been doing the rounds on social media. “I’ve wanted to do that for 20 years,” he admits. “Finally, I got to make it happen. And the scene with the tall guy in the mask, which I played – using a miniature set to make me look tall – was something I’ve always wanted to try too.”
When it comes to making horror films, Sandberg has carved a name for himself by embracing the unexpected – never afraid to improvise or step outside the box. “Movies aren’t made that way anymore, with that kind of creative freedom,” he believes, reflecting on the fast-paced, often chaotic nature of the production. “We were always up against the clock, but I think it paid off. We had to improvise a lot, but it gave me the chance to experiment. I’ve been doing horror for a while now, so I have a toolbox to pull from, and that helped us come up with something new based on whatever the day threw at us.”
And though the process was intense and at times problematic, Sandberg assures us that the hard work was 100% worth it: “We had a lot of fun, but it was also tough. It takes a lot of time and planning, and movies just aren’t scheduled that way anymore. But when you’re thinking about how to make a scene work, it’s almost like a magic trick—figuring out how to hide the seams. It was a huge challenge, but ultimately, I think it worked in the film’s favor.”
Looking back on his journey with Until Dawn, Sandberg couldn’t be more satisfied with the end result. “It’s not just a typical horror film. We wanted it to be something special – something that feels fresh, but still stays true to the game’s spirit.”
With its bombastic blend of frenetic pacing, left-field twists, and gloriously unhinged set pieces, Until Dawn is poised to hit hard with both longtime fans and newcomers. For David F. Sandberg, it marks another bold step in a career defined by risk-taking and a passion for the more experimental, homegrown corners of filmmaking. An unholy cocktail of time-warp terror, jaw-dropping spectacle, and twist after merciless twist, Until Dawn doesn’t just reset the clock – it obliterates it. This is the horror film to beat in 2025 – and I’m already dying to relive the experience, over and over again.
Until Dawn releases exclusively in theaters this Friday April 25, 2025.
