Netflix developing live-action PUBG series with Donald Glover

The high-profile project comes following a lengthy period of delicate negotiations between streaming giant Netflix and South Korean video game publisher Krafton. By bringing Glover on board to helm the adaptation, Netflix has signaled its intent to give the massive multiplayer property a distinct creative voice and prestige television treatment.

Glover, widely celebrated for his groundbreaking work as the creator, star, and director of FX’s critically acclaimed surreal comedy-drama Atlanta, as well as his iconic role in NBC’s Community, will develop the series alongside his brother and frequent creative collaborator, Stephen Glover. Under the current production arrangement, Stephen Glover is also officially attached to the project as both a writer and an executive producer, reuniting the sibling duo behind several of their previous critical successes.

Production Team

The creative and managerial oversight for the live-action PUBG series spans multiple entertainment entities and continents. Alongside the Glover brothers, the production boasts a robust roster of executive producers representing both Hollywood and gaming industry heavyweights.

Michael Schaefer of Neon TV and Fam Udeorji of Gilga are attached to executive produce the series, bringing their industry expertise to the ambitious adaptation. On the publisher’s side, executive production duties are being shared by Taeseok Jang and Sujin Lee, both representing LV3H, which serves as Krafton’s dedicated entertainment division.

First released in 2017 under its original title, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, PUBG fundamentally shifted the landscape of online multiplayer gaming by popularizing the modern battle royale genre. The title achieved unprecedented global commercial success and cultural penetration, going on to set an astonishing seven Guinness World Records for its immense player counts, sales milestones, and industry-defining impact.

Recognizing the massive transmedia potential of its premier intellectual property, Krafton officially announced plans to expand the PUBG franchise beyond interactive gaming and into the realms of film and television back in 2020. The establishment of LV3H was a critical step in that strategy, positioning the company to actively develop and produce entertainment projects derived from the game’s expansive lore and survivalist premise.

Expanding the PUBG Universe

The live-action series is not the first time Krafton has attempted to translate the chaotic, drop-in survival mechanics of PUBG into cinematic or episodic storytelling. Previously, an animated PUBG series was announced to be in development at Netflix back in 2021. That earlier animated iteration had secured Adi Shankar—best known for his critically acclaimed work as the executive producer of Netflix’s dark fantasy adaptation Castlevania—to spearhead the project, demonstrating the streamer’s multi-pronged approach to the franchise’s lore.

The newly announced live-action adaptation further cements PUBG’s place in Netflix’s growing strategy to translate major global interactive franchises into high-budget television and film properties. The project joins an increasingly crowded and diverse slate of video game adaptations currently moving through various stages of production and development at the streaming platform.

Among these high-profile cross-medium endeavors are an upcoming Assassin’s Creed series developed in partnership with Ubisoft, a live-action feature film adaptation of Microsoft’s iconic sci-fi shooter franchise Gears of War, an animated series based on Blizzard Entertainment’s dark fantasy action role-playing game Diablo, and a live-action Crazy Taxi film as part of Sega’s expanding transmedia strategy, alongside numerous other titles drawn from the annals of gaming history.

As of press time, Netflix and its production partners have not yet announced a targeted production start date, an official release window, a confirmed episode count, or any additional members of the supporting cast. Further details regarding the plot, characters, and stylistic approach to the live-action PUBG series are expected to be revealed at a later date as development progresses under the watchful eye of Donald and Stephen Glover.