Controversial Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 director Daniel Vavra steps down, and apparently he's making a KCD movie

I think we can all agree that Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is an all-timer videogame sequel, right? It builds upon the systems of the original game in all manner of creative ways to close out Henry's story. This is thanks to the huge team at Warhorse Studios bringing the medieval game to life, but also due to the hard work of its controversial creative director Daniel Vávra. However, with Henry's story over, Czech media is reporting that Vávra is looking for new challenges, and is stepping down as creative director in order to do so.

According to Czech-language outlet CzechCrunch, Vávra has stepped down as a part of "organizational changes" at Warhorse (machine translation). Warhorse CEO Martin Frývaldský also tells the website that "Dan has a new role. That's the creation of the Kingdom Come movie." Yes, you read that right.

Rumors of a Kingdom Come Deliverance movie have circulated for years, but now Vávra is spearheading a renewed charge onto the big screen. "We have been moving the Kingdom Come brand away from videogames for some time now," explains Frývaldský. "So far we have been in comics, concerts, and tourism, but the film has attracted us the most. That is why Dan and I are working on getting it onto the screen or the big screen. There is also a draft script."

Note that this is not usually how videogame adaptations are created. Neil Druckmann co-wrote The Last of Us TV show alongside showrunner Craig Mazin and screenwriter Halley Gross. He is only credited as being solely responsible for one episode, Left Behind. Vávra's draft script may well be an attempt at bringing Kingdom Come Deliverance to the cinema-going masses, but it will likely go through myriad iterations before it comes to fruition, if that ever happens.

The Warhorse CEO understands that some people will think that this is a "breakup" with Kingdom Come's controversial creative director. Alongside his outspoken support for the GamerGate movement, he has contradicted himself on the "historical accuracy" of including Black people in the medieval setting on numerous occasions, leaving players confused as to his genuine opinions. He's also openly voiced support for generative AI, recently stating that the technology is "an opportunity for everyone to make great stuff without the big money from corporations." However, Frývaldský assures CzechCrunch in the interview that "Dan himself wanted to move on. He made three games that were a global success, he has been wanting to try something different for a long time."

As to when we can expect the adaptation to hit our screens, Frývaldský hopes for a remarkably quick turnaround. "Getting Kingdom Come to the screen in the next few years is another milestone that we want to achieve, and that is Dan's new role. You won't see him in the office every day anymore, but in a broader sense he is still part of Warhorse," the CEO says.

Warhorse has done miracles with slim budgets in comparison to triple-A studios in recent years, but making movies or even TV series is another thing entirely. As anyone following Henry Cavill's attempted Warhammer TV show knows, these things can take years to come to fruition even after the contracts are signed, and it doesn't seem like Warhorse has a studio on board yet. I'd expect this to take far longer than Frývaldský says, but you can guarantee I'll be sitting in the front row if this ambitious plan is eventually achieved.

PCGamesN has contacted Warhorse for clarification on Vávra's new role, and will update this article if we receive a response.