Paramount’s planned Cyberpunk 2077 feature has received an unexpected nod from CD Projekt Red.
The movie project was revealed on October 8, coming roughly six years after Cyberpunk 2077 first launched in December 2020. While no director or cast members have been confirmed yet, CD Projekt Red is onboard as a producer with Paramount, and veteran blockbuster producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura — known for his work on the Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises — is also attached to the film.
The source material centers on V, a mercenary who becomes entangled with the megacorporation Arasaka while attempting to steal a valuable biochip. Still, CD Projekt Red’s co-CEO Michal Nowakowski recently told PAP Biznes (as reported by GamesRadar+) that the studio doesn’t intend to simply reproduce the game’s narrative on screen. Instead, Nowakowski indicated the film will be an original story that lives inside the Cyberpunk universe rather than a scene-for-scene translation of the game’s plot.
That choice makes sense for a few reasons. Night City itself is a major draw of the game, and players shape V’s personality and path through many meaningful choices, so a one-to-one cinematic retelling would struggle to capture that interactivity. There’s also the question of key characters: Johnny Silverhand — the famous rocker played by Keanu Reeves in the game — plays a central part in V’s arc, and it’s not certain Reeves would return to reprise the role for a theatrical version.
CD Projekt Red has previously had strong results when it chose to tell new tales in the same setting. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the anime miniseries that debuted on Netflix in 2022, created original characters and plots within the world of the game and was met with critical praise and a positive audience reaction. That success provides a clear example of how expanding the universe with fresh stories can work.
Paramount’s decision to pursue a standalone narrative also echoes the recent strategy behind Zack Cregger’s Resident Evil (2026). Cregger’s film didn’t adapt any single Resident Evil game directly, instead presenting an original tale set in that franchise’s milieu — and it proved commercially and critically successful. The movie earned a 96% critics’ score and a 90% PopcornMeter on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed about $325 million globally so far, making it the highest-grossing entry in the Resident Evil film series. Cregger’s production reportedly cost around $75 million to make.
That comparison highlights both opportunity and challenge for Cyberpunk 2077’s big-screen incarnation. Recreating Night City and the franchise’s distinctive tech-forward visuals at a high level of fidelity could require a larger production budget than recent genre pictures like Resident Evil. Delivering a cinematic experience that meets fans’ expectations — especially given how beloved and widely played the game is — will be a tall order.
Many details about the Cyberpunk 2077 movie remain unsettled. The choice to avoid retelling V’s specific storyline may please some viewers and disappoint others, and reactions will likely hinge on casting, the creative team, and how well the new story captures the tone and texture of the world. With development still early and no confirmed talent attached, it’s too soon to draw conclusions about the film’s potential quality or impact.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
