Alan Ritchson is reportedly in talks to star in Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions’ live-action Helldivers movie following Jason Momoa’s departure from the project. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the casting talks, with TheWrap separately confirming that the Reacher star is being considered for the adaptation. No final deal has been publicly announced, so Ritchson’s involvement remains in negotiations for now.
Jason Momoa had previously been announced as the film’s lead earlier this year, but he exited the project in June. Sony continued casting after his departure while keeping Fast & Furious director Justin Lin attached to direct. The film is still scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 10, 2027, a date Sony has listed for the project in its official release slate.
Ritchson would give the adaptation another established action lead after starring as Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s Reacher and appearing in films including Fast X and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. If the deal closes, The Hollywood Reporter notes that Helldivers would mark his first time headlining a theatrical studio feature. Neither Sony nor PlayStation Productions has revealed the character he would play beyond reports describing him as the film’s prospective lead.
The Helldivers movie is based on Arrowhead Game Studios’ cooperative shooter franchise. The original Helldivers launched in 2015, while Helldivers 2 followed in 2024 and significantly expanded the series’ audience. The games cast players as heavily armed soldiers serving Super Earth, an authoritarian civilization that sends its Helldivers into large-scale wars against alien and machine factions under the banner of “Managed Democracy.”
Sony formally highlighted the movie during CinemaCon 2026, where Lin appeared to discuss the project. At that time, Momoa was still attached to star, and Sony confirmed that the film would release worldwide in November 2027. The production comes from Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions, with Hutch Parker, PlayStation Productions head Asad Qizilbash and Lin producing through Perfect Storm Entertainment.
Specific story details remain under wraps. Reports have indicated that Gary Dauberman worked on the screenplay, but Sony has not disclosed how directly the movie will adapt either game’s campaigns, characters or ongoing Galactic War structure. The games themselves are built around disposable squads of Helldivers rather than a single permanent protagonist, which gives the film considerable flexibility in creating its own lead characters and story.
Helldivers has become one of PlayStation’s more prominent modern properties following the success of Helldivers 2. Sony said the sequel sold more than 12 million copies across PlayStation 5 and PC during its first four months, while the game later expanded to Xbox Series X|S. Sony has continued supporting the franchise with major updates while also dealing with broader platform issues, including efforts to restore Helldivers 2 and other PlayStation titles on UK Steam after accidental delistings.
The film is part of PlayStation Productions’ continuing push to adapt Sony gaming properties for film and television. That slate has already produced projects including Uncharted, Gran Turismo and Until Dawn, while other game adaptations remain in development. Sony is also distributing Nintendo’s upcoming live-action Legend of Zelda movie, which is due in 2027.
For now, Ritchson has not officially joined Helldivers, and Sony has not announced any additional cast members. The project remains dated for November 10, 2027, with Justin Lin directing and PlayStation Productions and Sony Pictures moving forward after Momoa’s exit.
