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‘The Umbrella Academy’ Showrunner Set to Lead Netflix’s ‘Horizon Zero Dawn’ Series


Netflix announced earlier this year that it would be developing a TV series based on one of the most popular video game franchises of the past decade, Horizon Zero Dawn, and we now have a little more information. While details surrounding the plot and setting of the show are still scarce, Deadline is reporting that The Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman has signed on to the Horizon Zero Dawn TV adaptation.

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‘The Umbrella Academy’ | Image: Netflix

The Umbrella Academy is one of Netflix’s most successful shows, with a fourth and final season confirmed to be in the works. Attaching Blackman to the Horizon show signifies that – at the very least – Netflix is investing big when it comes to making sure the TV adaptation has a great team working on it. First released in February 2017, Horizon Zero Dawn was a juggernaut release for the PlayStation 4 and is often described by members of the gaming community as one of the best open-world experiences of the past five years. The title also introduced players to one of the most complete and fleshed-out female protagonists in video game history in Aloy.

The sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, was released at the beginning of 2022 and was met with similar praise, continuing the Horizon franchise’s unique ability to blend technology and nature in a winning combination. While the background offers up a luscious and natural world, the creatures that coexist with humanity are, yep that’s right, giant robotic dinosaurs.

While the talks of the TV adaptation are encouraging, fans are understandably nervous. Historically, video game adaptations have struggled to meet expectations, leading to a resounding sentiment that no video game film or TV show would be able to live up to the hype. However, a string of successful gaming adaptations in recent years has signified a shift in what some even consider a curse.

In some ways, Netflix has been a pioneer in this changing of the guard. Titles such as The Witcher and Arcane: League of Legends are both based on popular video games and have been massive hits both with gaming fans as well as general viewers. This new Horizon Zero Dawn series could be the next big gaming adaptation for Netflix. As well as this, both Sonic the Hedgehog films have been commercially successful. Fans of the longstanding gaming character enjoyed the film’s faithfulness to the source material while still being a solid family film. HBO is also going full steam ahead with its upcoming adaptation of The Last of Us. For more from the world of entertainment, check out Man of Many’s full coverage here.

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Image: Netflix