Warhorse Studios co-founder shifts focus to Kingdom Come Deliverance film adaptation

Daniel Vávra, the visionary co-founder and longtime creative director of Warhorse Studios, is transitioning away from active game development to spearhead a live-action adaptation of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance franchise. The move marks a significant structural shift for the Czech developer following the high-profile launch of its latest medieval sequel.

Warhorse Studios CEO Martin Frývaldský confirmed the leadership change, detailing that Vávra has assumed a new role dedicated to bringing the rugged world of 15th-century Bohemia to the silver screen. According to the studio, Vávra is already working on a draft script for the project. While the director will no longer oversee daily operations or the creative direction of future gaming titles, he remains a key figure within the organization under a broader transmedia mandate.

The decision follows years of internal discussion regarding the expansion of the Kingdom Come brand beyond the digital realm. Frývaldský noted that the studio has previously explored comics, concerts, and historical tourism, but characterized a film or television production as the ultimate milestone for the intellectual property. Negotiations with industry partners are reportedly already underway, though the studio intends to maintain tight creative control rather than simply licensing the rights to an outside production house.

This organizational transformation coincides with the appointment of internal veterans to fill the creative void left by Vávra’s departure from game design. Prokop Jirsa and Viktor Bocan, both instrumental in the development of the recently released sequel, have been named as the new creative directors responsible for future interactive projects. The studio, which now employs nearly 300 people, aims to mirror the global success of its games in its cinematic endeavors, targeting major markets across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Vávra’s career has been defined by a commitment to uncompromising realism and historical detail, a "handwriting" that leadership believes will translate effectively to cinema. Despite the shift in responsibilities, the studio emphasized that this is not a departure from the company he helped build, but rather a natural evolution for a creator who has successfully delivered three major global hits.