Shadow of the Colossus Film Gets New Update

Summary

• Director Andy Muschietti provides an update on the long-awaited Shadow of the Colossus film adaptation.
• He confirms the project is not abandoned, but acknowledges ongoing discussions regarding budget and the film's scale.
• Development of the live-action adaptation began over a decade ago, in 2009, with the game's director, Fumito Ueda, involved in the production.

Argentine director Andy Muschietti, known for It and The Flash, has offered a much-needed update on the Shadow of the Colossus movie adaptation. Sony Pictures announced the project over ten years ago, in 2009, with the game's creator, Fumito Ueda, on board. Initially, Josh Trank was attached to direct, but scheduling conflicts led to his departure, paving the way for Muschietti.

Beyond Shadow of the Colossus, Sony recently unveiled several other game adaptations at CES 2025, including a Helldivers movie (despite Starship Troopers' similar themes), a Horizon Zero Dawn film, and a Ghost of Tsushima animated project.

In an interview on Radio TU’s La Baulera del Coso program, Muschietti confirmed that the Shadow of the Colossus film is "absolutely not abandoned." He acknowledged the lengthy development time, explaining that factors beyond creative desires, such as the intellectual property's popularity and the resulting budget considerations, are impacting the project's timeline. He also mentioned the existence of multiple scripts, with one being his personal favorite.

Shadow of the Colossus Film Adaptation Receives Update From Director

While other games, such as Capcom's Dragon's Dogma 2 (2024), have drawn inspiration from Shadow of the Colossus's tone and colossal enemies, Sony's original remains a beloved classic. Muschietti, while not a "big gamer," calls the game a "masterpiece" and has played it multiple times.

Ueda, the visionary behind Shadow of the Colossus, has since founded his own studio, GenDesign. Their new sci-fi game, announced at The Game Awards 2024, hints at a similar sense of isolated grandeur. Despite high-definition remakes culminating with the PlayStation 4 release in 2018, the legacy of Shadow of the Colossus continues, with hopes that the live-action adaptation will resonate with existing fans and introduce the game's unique world to new audiences.