A groundbreaking fusion of video game storytelling and cinema is about to make history.
Warhorse Studios has officially announced that the Cinematic Cut of their upcoming medieval RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance II will premiere on July 9, 2025, at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF). This marks a major moment not just for the game’s creators, but for the evolving relationship between video games and the film industry.
🏰 A Medieval Epic Comes to the Big Screen
Instead of a standard movie adaptation, the Cinematic Cut is a bold experiment: a feature-length film created by stitching together the game’s richly detailed in-engine cutscenes. The result is a seamless, narrative-driven film that tells the story of Henry of Skalitz, a humble blacksmith’s son whose life is torn apart by war, betrayal, and political chaos in 15th-century Bohemia.
Audiences will witness Henry’s emotional journey from a grieving son to a courageous fighter entangled in a kingdom’s deadly power struggle. With no fantasy gimmicks, just gritty realism and historically grounded drama, the film captures the brutal beauty of medieval Europe with breathtaking visual fidelity and heartfelt storytelling.
🎥 Directed by Gaming Legends
The Cinematic Cut is helmed by Daniel Vávra, the visionary behind the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance and the Mafia series, alongside Petr Pekař, head of Warhorse Studios’ cinematic department. With their deep understanding of game narratives and cinematic craft, they’ve reimagined gameplay footage into a compelling standalone film experience.
“We always believed the story we were telling could hold its own on the big screen,” said Warhorse CEO Martin Frývaldský. “This cinematic cut is our way of proving that games can be just as emotionally powerful and artistically rich as any film.”
🎞️ Festival Spotlight
The premiere will be held as part of Karlovy Vary’s Special Screenings section — a category reserved for bold, genre-defying works. The film will be shown during an exclusive event on July 9, with a live Q&A session featuring the creators at 3:30 PM, followed by the main screening at 7 PM.
Karlovy Vary artistic director Karel Och praised the project, calling it “an exceptionally original contribution” and a powerful showcase of storytelling that transcends traditional formats.
🕹️ Game Meets Film — And Everyone Wins
What makes this project special is how it redefines what a video game can be. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has already drawn praise for its realism, emotional depth, and historical accuracy. Now, its story will reach an even wider audience — including those who may not play games at all.
This cinematic release doesn’t just celebrate a video game — it honors a medium that’s rapidly growing into a true art form.
🎟️ What’s Next?
The premiere will likely draw massive attention from both the gaming community and the film world. Though distribution plans for the cinematic cut haven’t been confirmed, there is speculation it may appear in select Czech cinemas or release online in the months after the festival.
The original Kingdom Come: Deliverance sold over 5 million copies and built a passionate fanbase. With the sequel’s Cinematic Cut, Warhorse Studios is now leading the charge in showing that video games aren’t just interactive entertainment — they’re cinema in motion.
