The Live-Action Cyberpunk 2077 Movie Won’t Retrace the Game’s Steps, CD Projekt Confirms

CD Projekt Red has officially confirmed that the live-action Cyberpunk 2077 film in development at Paramount Pictures will not be a direct adaptation of the game. Co-CEO Michał Nowakowski stated the studio is committed to avoiding a one-to-one translation of the game’s story, instead preferring to craft an original narrative set within the Cyberpunk universe.

This approach mirrors the studio’s successful strategy with the Netflix anime series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, developed in collaboration with Studio Trigger. Rather than adapting existing game narratives, both projects prioritize creating fresh stories that exist within the established world of Night City.

The decision represents a departure from traditional video game adaptations, which often attempt to faithfully recreate protagonists and plots from their source material. By choosing to develop new storylines, CD Projekt Red aims to give filmmakers creative freedom while maintaining the thematic and aesthetic elements that define the Cyberpunk franchise.

The shift in production from the expired contract with Anonymous Content to Paramount Pictures signals a renewed commitment to bringing the Cyberpunk IP to different media. The studio’s willingness to tell untold stories within the universe suggests confidence in the franchise’s potential as a transmedia property, emphasizing world-building and atmosphere over direct narrative translation.

Sources

• The Live-Action Cyberpunk 2077 Movie Won’t Retrace the Game’s Steps, CD Projekt Confirms
• The Cyberpunk 2077 movie won’t be ‘a film adaptation of the game,’ CD Projekt chief says
• ‘Cyberpunk 2077’ Movie First Details Officially Confirmed, Won’t Adapt Game 1:1
• Cyberpunk 2077 movie “won’t be a one-to-one translation of the game’s story”, CD Projekt Red boss confirms, and boy do I think that’s the right move