The following contains spoilers for Until Dawn, now playing in theatersUntil Dawn‘s finale intricately links the new film to the original video game that served as its inspiration. Until Dawn is based on the acclaimed Supermassive Games title of the same name, although the film adaptation primarily explores surface-level elements. Both narratives revolve around teenagers facing the terrifying threat of the Wendigo, yet many characters, dangers, and narrative mechanics diverge significantly. The most notable connection between these two adaptations is the character played by Peter Stormare, who portrays Dr. Hill, a mysterious figure in both stories.

The finale of the Until Dawn movie unveils new layers about Dr. Hill, casting him as the true antagonist of the narrative. The dramatic final shot hints that he might even draw power from supernatural forces, potentially reshaping the lore of the game, particularly since the film’s closing moments seamlessly set up the plot of the 2015 video game of the same name. Here, we explore how Until Dawn directly connects to the game that inspired it, and how these connections redefine the mythology of both versions.

How The Cabin In Until Dawn’s Final Shot Establishes A Connection To The Original Video Game

2025’s Until Dawn’s Final Scene Directly References 2015’s Video Game: An Intriguing Connection

The climactic shot of Until Dawn centers on a black vehicle approaching a snowy cabin, which intriguingly mirrors the opening scene of the video game that inspired the film, thereby implying that the film serves as a direct prequel to the video game. The movie concludes with Clover and her friends escaping from the haunted house where they were trapped, effectively breaking the time loop and allowing them a chance to flee as dawn arrives. However, the narrative quickly shifts back to Dr. Hill’s office, which appears abandoned following his apparent demise.

The surveillance cameras he utilized to observe Clover and her companions abruptly transition to a different location, specifically a large winter lodge nestled in the snowy mountains. This location seems to be where the events of the Until Dawn video game unfold, primarily taking place within that cabin and its surrounding woods and mines. This revelation suggests that Hill’s next victims are the main characters of the game, who are similarly a group of unsuspecting friends ensnared by nightmarish monsters lurking in the shadows, facing the risk of being transformed into something monstrous themselves.

The Ending of Until Dawn Indicates The Movie Coexists Within The Same Universe As The Game

While Until Dawn Delivers Different Frights Than The Game, Dr. Hill Ties Together Both Narratives

In many respects, the Until Dawn film adaptation serves as a superficial interpretation of the video game. While there are notable similarities, such as the inclusion of the Wendigo, the narratives diverge greatly. The only true supernatural component in the Until Dawn video game was the presence of the Wendigo, which was depicted as the curse that befalls those who consume human flesh. In the game, a character named Josh orchestrates a reunion with friends to commemorate his sisters’ memory, only to torment them as a masked “killer” prior to the onslaught of the Wendigos.

Until Dawn, the film, presents a narrative that diverges significantly from the video game that inspired it. Unlike the game, there’s no cyclical pattern of death and rebirth, and the rules governing the Wendigo have been altered. Nevertheless, the shared presence of Dr. Hill as a researcher serves as a compelling link between the two adaptations. In the original game, Dr. Hill manifests to Josh as a hallucination. Although a real-life Dr. Hill appears to assist him, the hallucination communicates with Josh during his quest for vengeance and interacts directly with the player at pivotal moments.

In the game, Dr. Hill was essentially a product of Josh’s fractured psyche. However, revelations from the movie imply that he could be a more sinister supernatural presence. It’s plausible that his ghostly judgment of Josh was intended to drive him toward a dark transformation, reminiscent of how he studies and torments the protagonists in the 2025 version of Until Dawn as they encounter various monstrous entities. The visual similarities of the Wendigos and Dr. Hill‘s presence in both narratives suggest that both adaptations of Until Dawn exist within the same universe.

How Until Dawn Functions Mostly As A Prequel To The Original Video Game

How Until Dawn’s Last Scene Directly Connects To The Events Of The Game

Until Dawn, positioned as a prequel to the video game, effectively recontextualizes numerous significant elements of the original title. The perilous Wendigos stalking the forests and mines in the game served as the primary danger, orchestrating many of the potential deaths within the narrative. The Until Dawn film complicates their existence, depicting the Wendigo not merely as a cursed creature but as the product of excessive resurrections into a horrifying new form. While the game lacks a death/rebirth loop, this concept may have been a hidden truth within that universe, albeit never explicitly revealed.

Dr. Hill is portrayed quite differently in the film compared to his representation in the game. While the hallucination of Hill that appears to Josh is intended to illustrate his mental instability, Hill was not necessarily depicted as a villain in those scenes. Instead, he offered a critical perspective on how Josh’s fears had consumed him, transforming him into a potential killer and, depending on the game’s conclusion, a literal monster. Dr. Hill’s character gains a more sinister dimension in the wake of the film, suggesting that his “therapy” for Josh was manipulative and driven by darker intentions.

A file related to Josh can be seen during the climactic moment between Clover and Hill in Until Dawn, indicating that he has been monitoring or even providing “therapy” to Josh. It appears that Hill’s fascination with Josh stems from his capacity to be defined by fear and to spread that fear to others, aligning with the research he conducts on the psychological and physiological effects of horror in the film. This shifts Hill’s motivations in the game and implies that his influence was a significant factor in the chaos that unfolded in that title.

How The Movie’s Prequel Status Alters The Original Video Game’s Lore

Dr. Hill Emerges As The True Villain In The Until Dawn Narrative

Until Dawn operates effectively as a prequel to the game of the same name, introducing intriguing modifications to the lore as a result. In the game, Dr. Hill was primarily a thematic guide for the player and a mere hallucination for Josh. However, Hill’s interactions with Clover suggest that he has targeted Josh based on his prior focus on other individuals. It appears that Hill’s goal is to break people in order to witness the aftermath, casting a darker light on his interactions with Josh in the game.

This transformation effectively portrays Hill as the overarching antagonist of the Until Dawn narrative, as opposed to any particular monster or curse. Hill manipulates individuals into situations that can either destroy them or traumatize them, aiming to compel them to adhere to his directives — such as the belief that someone must die for the group to survive. Hill’s deceit is revealed by the end of the film, indicating that his dialogues with Clover and Josh are not entirely benevolent and could merely serve as manipulations for his research.

The decision for Until Dawn not to be a direct adaptation of the original game makes logical sense. Numerous successful video game adaptations have drawn inspiration from their source material while reimagining the narratives into new stories, and Until Dawn successfully infuses its overarching love for horror with compelling ret-cons to the game’s universe. This approach provides an interesting connection between the two versions of Until Dawn and establishes the true villain of the narrative.

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