Horizon adaptation could be canceled due to a toxic work environment.
The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Horizon on Netflix has hit a snag. A recent Rolling Stone report by journalist Cheyenne Roundtree detailed allegations of misconduct by Steve Blackman, the showrunner for both Horizon and the popular Umbrella Academy series. These accusations included fostering a toxic work environment and bullying behavior.
Following the report, Roundtree provided an update stating that both Horizon and Blackman’s original series, Orbital, are no longer actively progressing at Netflix. However, before jumping to conclusions, we must first keep a couple of things in mind.
First, there’s been no official confirmation from Sony, the developers of Guerilla Games, or Netflix itself regarding the fate of the Horizon series. This lack of official words leaves some room for interpretation.
Secondly, Roundtree’s update doesn’t explicitly state whether the projects are completely scrapped. Development on the adaptation may be simply on hold while Sony seeks a new showrunner to replace Blackman.
Sony might decide to find a new showrunner who can lead the adaptation. This scenario aligns with Roundtree’s statement about the project not moving forward under Blackman. There’s also a solid chance Sony might explore partnering with a different streaming platform to bring Horizon to life.
While the Rolling Stone report throws a wrench into the immediate plans for the upcoming television series, it doesn’t necessarily spell doom for the project. Plus, the recent trend of video game adaptations from the likes of The Last of Us, Sonic the Hedgehog, and The Super Mario Bros. that have been extremely financially lucrative means that Sony may not be so quick to drop support for their addition to the trend.
Having played Horizon: Zero Dawn myself, I would love to see Aloy, the main heroine, being portrayed in a television series. The world blends the post-apocalyptic prehistoric era with futuristic technology dynamic surprisingly well. Plus, with all the action in the games, the show is sure to feature some bombastic visual effects. Personally, I am optimistic for the future of a Horizon show and I think it has the potential to stand out as a television series.
