You might have thought that David F. Sandberg, the director behind Shazam! and Shazam: Fury of the Gods, would steer clear of IP-based films after the intense backlash he faced from the DC Cinematic Universe flops. Yet, he's back with a new project, Until Dawn, set to hit theaters soon. Sandberg recently opened up about the "very, very crazy" fan reactions that made him hesitant to return to IP-driven movies and what ultimately drew him back into this world.

"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg shared with GamesRadar+ regarding the adaptation of the popular horror game Until Dawn. "Trying to condense 10 hours into two, or something like that. But it is scary still, even though we're doing a new thing." He emphasized that, even with a game property, IP fans have strong opinions about how their favorite stories should be brought to the screen.

Reflecting on his experiences, Sandberg admitted, "I mean, to be honest, fans can get very, very crazy and very angry with you. You can get, like, death threats and everything so after Shazam 2, I was like, 'I never wanna do another IP-based movie because it's just not worth it,'" highlighting the severe backlash he faced after the DCU films.

However, the compelling script for Until Dawn changed his mind. "But then I was sent this script, and I was like, 'Ah, this would be so much fun to do, to do all these kinds of horrors? I kind of have to do it, and hope that the people see what we're trying to do and like it,'" Sandberg explained. He praised the writers for their innovative approach, saying, "I really thought it was brilliant of the writers to come up with this time loop idea where the night starts over because then you do kind of get that feel of the game, when you're replaying it and making different choices. I think it's very much in the spirit of the game."

Sandberg understands that not every fan can be pleased when adapting an IP, but he believes his approach will resonate with Until Dawn fans. "I think we would've gotten a lot of critique if we had tried to [recreate the game], because people would've been like, 'It's not as good. It's not the same actors, because, you know, they're older now,'" he noted. "You wouldn't be able to better the game, so you'd just be in a losing situation."

Until Dawn, penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman—known for writing It: Chapter Two—and starring Ella Rubin, is slated to premiere in theaters on April 25, 2025.