Ex-Sony exec slams Until Dawn film for snubbing writers

A former PlayStation narrative director has launched a petition urging the creators of the Until Dawn movie to properly credit the original game's writers in the film adaptation.

As reported by Eurogamer, Kim MacAskill's petition calls upon Sony Pictures to "set an industry precedent by revising the Until Dawn credits" and rethink their approach to intellectual property attribution in transmedia adaptations.

"The film credits include the director and screenwriters, yet reduces the game developers - the architects of this iconic experience Sony clearly values - to simply 'based on the Sony game'," MacAskill stated.

"These creators dedicated years crafting something extraordinary. They deserve public recognition rather than corporate anonymity," she continued.

MacAskill elaborated further in a LinkedIn post, contrasting Sony's approach with HBO's treatment of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us adaptation, which properly credited both the studio and creative director Neil Druckmann.

The director revealed Sony executives informed her that "salaried employees forfeit all creative ownership rights," directly questioning Sony: "Why does Neil Druckmann receive recognition while others at your company are denied the same?"

After inquiring about IP rights for her own Sony-created work, MacAskill was reportedly told the company "understands the sentiment but maintains company-wide policies preventing individual credits."

"My request was simple: proper attribution and minimal adaptation rights," MacAskill explained. "This isn't about financial gain - it's about respecting creative labor."

The petition specifically requests Sony implement two key changes:

• Include executive producer credits/equivalent acknowledgments for original creators
• Establish standardized transmedia crediting policies honoring creative visionaries

"Proper recognition maintains industry integrity and inspires future creators," MacAskill concluded. "This petition advocates for all game developers deserving acknowledgment in transmedia adaptations."

Industry observers note the timing coincides with rumors of Until Dawn Remastered potentially joining PlayStation Plus games for May 2025, likely cross-promoting the recent theatrical release. IGN's review scored the film 5/10, criticizing it in our Until Dawn movie review for abandoning the game's innovative horror elements in favor of conventional tropes.