Alan Ritchson, known for his leading role in Prime Video's action series Reacher, is reportedly in negotiations with Sony to star in a film adaptation of the video game Helldivers. The actor would step into a role previously considered for Jason Momoa, who exited the project in early June due to creative differences.
Ritchson has recently taken on several high-profile leading roles, including in the thriller Motor City and Netflix's War Machine. His earlier work includes appearances in Smallville, Blue Mountain State, Titans, the 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
The Helldivers movie was first announced at CES in 2025 and was later previewed at Sony's CinemaCon presentation in April 2026. Gary Dauberman, a writer for the It films and Annabelle, penned the initial screenplay. Directing the project is Justin Lin, known for his work on the Fast & Furious franchise, who previously collaborated with Ritchson on Fast X. Lin is producing alongside Hutch Parker and Asad Qizilbash.
While official plot details remain scarce, the film is expected to follow the satirical premise of the games. Helldivers, and particularly its sequel Helldivers 2, are known for their commentary on militarism, mirroring films like Starship Troopers. The games depict soldiers from Super Earth fighting alien threats, often with a dark humor that highlights the questionable morality of their actions. It remains to be seen if the movie will fully embrace this satirical edge. The film is slated for release on November 10, 2027.
Sony has a number of video game adaptations in various stages of development. Among these is a God of War TV series, which recently cast Dave Bautista as Kratos. Other projects in the pipeline include films for Death Stranding, Bloodborne, and Horizon Zero Dawn, along with a Ghost of Tsushima anime and the continuation of HBO's The Last of Us series.