The film studio Paramount Pictures has begun development of a feature film based on the universe of the video game Cyberpunk 2077. According to American trade publications, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura, who worked on the Transformers and G.I. Joe film series, has joined the project as producer. The Polish studio CD Projekt Red, which created the game and owns the rights to the franchise, will also serve as co-producer.
The role-playing game Cyberpunk 2077, released in 2020, is set in the fictional Californian metropolis of Night City. In this future world, power belongs to megacorporations, and technology has long outpaced morality. The protagonist, a mercenary named V, against his will becomes the carrier of a biochip on which an engram — a digital copy of the consciousness — of the long-dead rock musician and rebel Johnny Silverhand is recorded. In the game, his image and voice belong to the actor Keanu Reeves. Gradually Silverhand's personality begins to displace V's consciousness, and the two must together find a way to survive, opposing the Arasaka corporation, which effectively controls the city.
The game's path to success was not simple. After its release in 2020, it faced mass criticism because of numerous technical flaws. However, CD Projekt Red did not abandon the project. Thanks to the persistent work of the developers, a large-scale reworking of the game, and the release in 2023 of the expansion Phantom Liberty, in which the character played by actor Idris Elba appeared, the attitude of players and critics changed. To date, sales of the base game have exceeded 40 million copies, and of the expansion, 15 million.
The adaptation of Cyberpunk 2077 continues a trend of recent years, in which Hollywood studios increasingly turn to popular video games. The success of television series such as The Last of Us and Fallout, as well as the film The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, shows audience interest in such adaptations.
For Paramount, this is not the only project connected with video games. The action film Street Fighter, made jointly with Legendary, is expected to be released in October 2026. In addition, a film based on the Call of Duty game series is in development under the direction of Peter Berg; its premiere is scheduled for June 30, 2028.
The Cyberpunk universe has already extended beyond the video game: an anime series, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, was previously released as a prequel to the events of the game. CD Projekt Red itself is now working on a sequel — a game titled Cyberpunk 2.
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