Until Dawn (film)

Until Dawn (retroactively referred to as Until Dawn – Part 1) is a 2010 American mystery-suspense film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay by Larry Fessenden y Graham Reznick. Produced by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros., the film features an ensemble cast that includes Remi Malek, Hayden Panettiere, Noah Fleiss, Galadriel Stineman, Nicole Sakura, Bratt Dalton, Mahegan Martin and Ella Letini. The film follows eight young adults who have to survive at the Blackwood Pines strange sobrenatural events. It is the first of a two-part film based on an original story by Fessenden and Reznick, influenced by contemporary slasher films.

Development began in 2000, when the premise was conceived by Fessenden Treatments during his work on Wendigo (2001). Seeking collaborators for early ideas, Reznick contacted him for a concept meeting, inspired by contemporary teen horror and slasher movies. Development began in 2005, when Paramount announced plans to co-finance the project with Warner Bros. The lead characters were cast between March and May 2008. Production on Part 1 began on April 26, 2009 and wrapped in November with shooting at Pinewood Studios.

Until Dawn premiered in New York on July 7, 2010, and was theatrically released in the United States in 2D, 3D and IMAX on July 23. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its cinematography, visual effects, musical score, and story. The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $725 million worldwide, breaking box office records and becoming the sixth highest-grossing film of 2010. It was followed by the final entry, Until Dawn – Part 2 in November 2011.