Until Dawn (film)

Until Dawn (retroactively referred to as Until Dawn – Part 1) is a 2010 American mystery, horror-suspense film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay by Larry Fessenden y Graham Reznick and produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik. Produced and distribuited by Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. as the first of a two cinematic parts, 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 based on an original story by Fessenden influenced by contemporary slasher films. Ideas for the film began in 1999, when the premise was conceived by Fessenden treatments during his work on Wendigo (2001) intending to release sometime in 2004. Seeking collaborators for early concepts, Reznick contacted him and they wrote an initial script. The writing process led to project delays, which escalated to a high budget. Development began in 2007, when Paramount agreed to plans to co-finance the project with Warner Bros. The main elect was sought between March and May 2008. The filming process was taken as separate films, but it was carried out consecutively. Production on Part 1 began at Pinewood Studios, Atlanta Georgia on April 21, 2009 and wrapped on November 15.

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.