Night City Is Heading to the Big Screen: Paramount Is Developing a Live-Action ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Movie

Few video games have had a comeback story quite like ‘Cyberpunk 2077‘. Launched in December 2020 amid a flood of technical problems, particularly on last-generation consoles, it became a cautionary tale almost overnight. Years of patches, updates and an unexpected anime hit later, it has become something very different.

That redemption arc is a big part of why the franchise has become so attractive to Hollywood. The game has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide, and its ‘Phantom Liberty’ expansion has sold more than 15 million, according to figures reported by Deadline. Few properties can boast that kind of audience before a single frame of live action has been shot.

Now, the neon-soaked world of Night City is officially heading to the big screen. Paramount Pictures is developing a live-action film set in the ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ universe, with ‘Transformers’ producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura attached to produce alongside CD Projekt Red, the Polish studio behind the game. Per the report, it isn’t a remake of the game’s story, but a new story set in the same universe.

Di Bonaventura is best known for producing the live-action ‘Transformers’ and ‘G.I. Joe’ films, and his credits also include ‘Snake Eyes’, ‘Madame Web’ and ‘Transformers One’. CD Projekt Red’s involvement as co-producer suggests the developer wants to keep a close eye on how its world is handled. The studio did the same for ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’, which it co-produced.

So far, no director, writer or cast has been announced. The project appears to be in an early stage, possibly even before pre-production, so it may be a long time before concrete details emerge. That hasn’t stopped fans from speculating about whether Keanu Reeves, who played Johnny Silverhand in the game, could return in some form.

This isn’t the first time a live-action ‘Cyberpunk’ project has been announced. In October 2023, CD Projekt Red revealed a partnership with Anonymous Content, the company behind ‘True Detective’ and ‘Mr. Robot’, to develop a live-action project. At the time, it was at an early stage and searching for a screenwriter to tell a brand-new story.

It isn’t clear whether the new Paramount film is the same project as the one being developed with Anonymous Content. For now, the two announcements stand as separate pieces of news. Fans will be hoping for clarification as more details emerge.

The franchise has momentum for a reason. ‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’, the Netflix anime released in 2022, was widely acclaimed and brought a flood of new players back to the game, helping push sales past 20 million at that point. A second season of ‘Edgerunners’ is set to arrive on Netflix on October 20.

The game itself is based on Mike Pondsmith’s tabletop role-playing game ‘Cyberpunk’, and its story follows V and the rogue digital ghost of Johnny Silverhand as they try to take down the Arasaka Corporation. CD Projekt Red is already working on the next game in the series, which is in development under the working title ‘Project Orion’. With so much in motion, a feature film fits neatly into the company’s plans.

The studio is clearly betting on gaming properties. Paramount is co-producing the ‘Street Fighter’ movie with Legendary, which hits theaters on October 16, and it is also developing a ‘Call of Duty’ film with Peter Berg directing and co-writing alongside Taylor Sheridan. It has also found success with the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movies over the years.

That track record helps explain the interest in Night City. Video game adaptations have become more competitive, and audiences have shown they’re willing to embrace stories that expand a game’s world instead of retelling it. Setting the film in the same universe, rather than remaking the game, follows that approach.

There are still more questions than answers. Will the film follow a new character, or touch on familiar faces from the game? What tone will it strike, given that ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ mixes gritty violence, dark humor and surprising emotional weight? And how will the story fit alongside the anime, the next game and any other adaptations?

For now, the news is a promising first step. Night City is one of gaming’s most vivid settings, full of towering megacorporations, street gangs and body-modifying technology. If Paramount gets it right, it could be a visual feast.

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