Sony Announces R-Rated Animated Bloodborne Film at CinemaCon

Sony Pictures unveiled an R-rated animated feature film based on FromSoftware's Bloodborne during its CinemaCon presentation on April 14, 2026. The project is co-produced by PlayStation Productions, Lyrical Animation, and content creator Seán McLoughlin, better known as JackSepticEye.

A Faithful Adaptation of the Gothic Horror Classic

FromSoftware originally developed Bloodborne for PlayStation 4, where it launched in March 2015 under Sony Interactive Entertainment's publishing banner. The game earned a devoted following for its punishing difficulty and richly atmospheric world steeped in Lovecraftian horror. Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures Entertainment's Motion Picture Group, promised the animated film will be "very true" to the gory spirit of the source material a pledge reinforced by the decision to pursue an R rating rather than a more commercially safe PG-13.

The film's story follows a Hunter navigating the gothic city of Yharnam, whose inhabitants have transformed into beasts after consuming a supposedly miraculous panacea. As the Hunter pushes deeper into the nightmare, the protagonist uncovers the truth behind the outbreak while being "guided, opposed, and manipulated by otherworldly forces that may drive one mad."

Production Partners and JackSepticEye's Role

PlayStation Productions, the Sony division responsible for bridging the company's gaming IP to film and television, is co-producing alongside Lyrical Animation. Lyrical Media, the animation studio's parent company, is co-financing the project with Sony Pictures.

McLoughlin whose JackSepticEye channel commands roughly 48 million followers across platforms joins the film as a co-producer. His extensive history with Bloodborne, including popular Let's Play series that introduced millions of viewers to Yharnam's lore, makes him a natural fit for a production that needs to satisfy a passionate and detail-oriented fanbase.

Sony's Growing Video Game Adaptation Slate

The Bloodborne announcement sits inside a broader push by Sony to mine its gaming catalogue for screen projects. The same CinemaCon presentation highlighted additional adaptations, including a Helldivers project. Separately, FromSoftware's portfolio is also expanding on screen: a Sekiro anime is headed to streaming in 2026, and a live-action Elden Ring film is in development with director Alex Garland attached.

Bloodborne's choice of animation as a medium is notable. The game's surreal creature designs and hyperkinetic combat lend themselves to the freedom animation provides, and an R rating ensures the production can preserve the visceral body horror that defines the franchise without the compromises live-action gore budgets often impose.

What to Watch For

No director, screenwriter, or release window has been confirmed for the Bloodborne film yet. With co-financing locked in and a producer roster already public, further creative announcements are likely to follow over the coming months. For fans of FromSoftware's interconnected universe of dark fantasy worlds, the simultaneous development of Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring adaptations marks an unprecedented expansion of the studio's properties beyond gaming.