Kingdom Come: Deliverance Director Daniel Vávra Leaves Warhorse Studios

Director Moves to Film

According to Dexerto, Daniel Vávra has departed Warhorse Studios to focus on a film adaptation of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Vávra served as creative director on both the original 2018 game and its 2025 sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

The move marks a significant shift for the studio's co-founder, who has been the driving creative force behind the historical RPG franchise since its Kickstarter origins in 2014. Vávra's vision shaped Kingdom Come into one of the most distinctive RPG series of the past decade, prioritizing historical authenticity over fantasy tropes in a genre dominated by dragons and magic. Warhorse Studios confirmed the departure, though specific details about the film project remain limited at this time.

What This Means for Warhorse

Vávra's exit comes shortly after the launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which released in February 2025 to strong critical reception. The timing suggests the director saw the sequel through to completion before making the transition to film, ensuring the second chapter maintained the creative consistency that defined the first game.

This departure raises questions about the franchise's future direction. Vávra wasn't just a creative director in title - he was the public face of Kingdom Come, known for his outspoken commitment to historical accuracy and willingness to defend controversial design choices. His absence leaves a creative vacuum that won't be easy to fill, particularly if Warhorse pursues a Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 or other projects set in the same universe.

The studio has not announced who will fill Vávra's role or what this means for future Kingdom Come projects. Given that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 ended on a cliffhanger that clearly sets up a third installment, the question of creative leadership becomes even more pressing. Warhorse Studios continues to operate under parent company Embracer Group, which acquired the developer in 2019. Whether Embracer will push for continuity or allow a new creative voice to reshape the series remains to be seen.

Film Adaptation in Development

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is known for its commitment to historical accuracy and immersive medieval setting. The series follows the story of Henry, a blacksmith's son in 15th century Bohemia, through a tale of war, revenge, and survival set during the real-world conflict between Sigismund of Hungary and Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia in 1403.

What made the games stand out was their refusal to romanticize medieval life. Combat is deliberately clunky and unforgiving, reflecting the reality that most people in 1403 weren't trained warriors. The game forces players to learn to read, tracks hygiene and reputation, and features a save system tied to an in-game alcoholic drink. These design choices frustrated some players but earned the series a dedicated fanbase that appreciated its uncompromising approach.

A film adaptation could bring the franchise's grounded approach to medieval storytelling to a new audience, though translating the game's methodical pacing and systems-driven gameplay to a two-hour format presents obvious challenges. The question is whether Vávra will maintain the same commitment to historical authenticity that defined the games, or whether the demands of mainstream cinema will push the adaptation toward more conventional medieval action-adventure territory. Production details and release timelines have not been disclosed, and it's unclear whether this is an independent production or backed by a major studio.

Video game adaptations have had a mixed track record, though recent successes like The Last of Us and Fallout suggest audiences are more receptive to game-based storytelling than in previous decades. Kingdom Come's relatively straightforward narrative and historical setting could work in its favor - there's no complex lore or fantasy elements to explain, just a revenge story set against a real historical backdrop.

Are you interested in seeing Kingdom Come: Deliverance adapted for the big screen?