According to a recent report, the highly anticipated Horizon Zero Dawn TV series is no longer moving forward at Netflix. This decision comes amid allegations of “toxic, bullying, manipulative, and retaliatory behavior” against Steve Blackman, the showrunner of The Umbrella Academy.
Allegations and Impact
The Rolling Stone article details complaints from twelve staffers and an HR report alleging that Blackman fostered a hostile work environment. Blackman has denied these claims, calling them “entirely untrue” and “completely absurd.” Despite these allegations, Blackman was offered an overall development deal worth $50 million at Netflix in 2020, including the Horizon Zero Dawn series and an original space thriller called Orbital.
Cancellation of Projects
Rolling Stone reports that Horizon Zero Dawn and Orbital are no longer moving forward. A representative for Blackman stated that he “has a long, ongoing, and close working relationship with Netflix” and continues to develop new projects under a new multi-year deal signed earlier this year.
Series Background
The Horizon Zero Dawn series was announced in 2022, with Blackman as the showrunner. The series was set to star Aloy, the protagonist from the acclaimed video game by Guerrilla Games. Blackman expressed his enthusiasm for the project, praising the game’s well-crafted characters and lush, vivid world.
“Horizon Zero Dawn is an exceptionally well-crafted game with wonderful characters not often seen in the rank-and-file of the gaming world,” Blackman said at the time. “Guerrilla Games has created an incredibly lush and vivid world of man and machine who find themselves on a collision course to oblivion. Their salvation comes in the form of a young female warrior named Aloy, who has no idea she’s the key to saving the world.”
Current Status
Despite initial excitement, development on the Horizon Zero Dawn series has faced significant setbacks. Sony announced in January 2024 that writing had begun on the series, but no further updates have been provided since. With the recent report indicating the project’s cancellation, fans of the game may have to wait longer for any adaptation news.
The reported cancellation of the Horizon Zero Dawn TV series is a disappointment for fans eagerly awaiting the adaptation of the beloved game. The allegations against Steve Blackman and the subsequent impact on his projects highlight the challenges and complexities involved in bringing such ambitious projects to life. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen what new directions Netflix and Blackman will pursue in their ongoing partnership.
