PlayStation Productions Boss Explains Why Horizon TV Series Was Canceled

Nearly three years ago, Sony confirmed reports about a Netflix TV series based upon Horizon Zero Dawn. However, the proposed live-action Horizon show was reportedly canceled last year. Now, PlayStation Productions chief Asad Qizilbash has offered an explanation about why the series didn't go forward.

Qizilbash told Variety that the Horizon series "just wasn’t creatively going how we wanted to," which led Sony to reevaluate it as a potential movie rather than a television project. However, Qizilbash didn't touch upon the workplace misconduct allegations against Horizon showrunner Steve Blackman stemming from his time on The Umbrella Academy. Blackman denied any wrongdoing, and word about Horizon's fate was revealed shortly thereafter.

Earlier this year, Sony officially put a Horizon Zero Dawn movie into development alongside a Helldivers adaptation. Neither film officially has a creative team or a cast yet, nor do they currently have slots on Sony's release calendar. Sony has previously produced other features based on PlayStation games, including Uncharted and the upcoming Until Dawn film.

Ashly Burch, who voices Horizon's main character, Aloy, recently shared her response to a video an AI-powered Aloy that could carry on a conversation with Sony Interactive Entertainment's Sharwin Raghoebardajal. Burch noted that it made her feel "worried about game performance as an art form," especially in light of the still-ongoing voiceover actors strike against most of the major video game publishers.