Movies

Helldivers movie in the works with Justin Lin directing and producing

Lin teams with writer Gary Dauberman as Sony and PlayStation Productions expand their slate of game adaptations.

Update: Dec 2nd, 2025 00:59 CET

The battle for Super Earth and democracy is coming to Hollywood, and it already has a director. Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions have chosen director Justin Lin, known for his work on the Fast & Furious franchise, as the right person to bring this adaptation of Helldivers to the big screen.

The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that Lin, in addition to directing, will be in charge of production through his company Perfect Storm Entertainment. The project will also feature Gary Dauberman, the writer behind It and Annabelle, as the screenwriter for this installment. Alongside Lin, Hutch Parker, and Asad Qizilbash, and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions will be involved in the production.

A human approach to galactic chaos

One of the details reported by the media, according to insiders, is that Lin sold himself as a non-gamer, allowing his pitch for directing to focus more on the humanity of the characters and the themes within the story, as well as the mythos that the game and community have created. This approach suggests the film will balance the visceral action of fighting genetically engineered monsters with the character-driven drama that made Lin’s previous work resonate with global audiences. The premise, which inevitably draws comparisons to Starship Troopers, offers a fertile ground for Lin to explore the absurdity of war through a blockbuster lens.

Lin now has a new job on his hands. He is currently working on the live-action adaptation of One-Punch Man, as well as the Netflix adaptation of Brzrkr, the comic created by Keanu Reeves, and Stakehorse at Amazon MGM.