Netflix is moving forward with a live-action PUBG series, with Donald Glover taking on a sweeping set of creative duties for the adaptation of Krafton’s bestselling battle royale game.
Glover will star in and direct the project while writing and executive producing alongside his brother, Stephen Glover. Michael Schaefer will executive produce for Neon TV, with Fam Udeorji representing Gilga and Taeseok Jang and Sujin Lee executive producing for Krafton’s LV3H.
The series emerged after lengthy negotiations and stems from Netflix’s first-look deal with Korean video game publisher Krafton. Netflix brought Glover aboard the project.
The adaptation marks another collaboration between Donald and Stephen Glover. The brothers previously worked together on FX’s Atlanta, which Donald created and starred in. Both were writers and executive producers on the comedy, while Donald also directed. He won two Emmys for the series, one for acting and another for directing.
Glover’s Studio Deals Opened the Door
Glover left his longtime home at FX in 2021 for a major exclusive overall agreement with Amazon MGM Studios. That arrangement has since been renewed as a first-look deal, giving him the ability to take projects to other studios.
He remains an executive producer on Amazon’s Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Glover is also rumored to return as the title character in the show’s upcoming second season, potentially in a limited capacity. His involvement in that season has not been confirmed.
For PUBG, however, his extensive participation is confirmed: Glover is attached as the lead actor, director, co-writer and executive producer. Stephen Glover’s involvement as co-writer and executive producer also reunites the pair in key behind-the-scenes roles.
Krafton’s Long-Running Expansion Plans
PUBG, originally titled PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, debuted in 2017 and has set seven Guinness World Records. Krafton announced plans for a movie and television series based on the game in 2020 as part of a broader effort to expand the franchise into original entertainment.
The publisher’s entertainment entity, LV3H, is involved in developing and producing projects connected to that expansion. An animated PUBG series from Castlevania executive producer Adi Shankar was announced in 2021, although there have been no subsequent updates about that project.
Netflix’s live-action series is also part of the streamer’s growing roster of video game adaptations. Other projects in development include a live-action Assassin’s Creed series and a live-action Gears of War movie.
Netflix is additionally working on animated adaptations of Minecraft, Magic: The Gathering and Clash of Clans, as well as an Overcooked competition series.
Neon Joins the Producing Team
Neon’s involvement comes through chief content officer Michael Schaefer, who joined the studio following Department M’s stake acquisition.
The studio has won two Best Picture Oscars, for Sean Baker’s Anora and Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite. In May, Neon extended its run to seven consecutive Palme d’Or winners at the Cannes Film Festival with Cristian Mungiu’s Fjord.
Neon is currently in post-production on The Young People, its fourth film with Osgood Perkins. Its upcoming release lineup also includes Fjord, James Grey’s Paper Tiger, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s All of a Sudden, Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, Chloe Domont’s A Place in Hell and Bong Joon Ho’s Ally.
ShowBiz Take
The scale of Glover’s involvement makes Netflix’s PUBG more than a conventional starring assignment. By placing him at the center of the series as actor, director, writer and executive producer—and pairing him again with Stephen Glover—the adaptation is being shaped by an established creative partnership rather than built around a star attachment alone.
The project is also a meaningful step in Krafton’s entertainment push. Plans to take PUBG beyond games date back to 2020, while the previously announced animated series has gone without an update since 2021. Netflix’s live-action version now brings together the streamer’s game-adaptation pipeline, Krafton’s LV3H operation and Glover’s multi-hyphenate role in one development.
What Happens Next?
The live-action PUBG series remains in development at Netflix. Its confirmed creative team is led by Donald and Stephen Glover, with Schaefer, Udeorji, Jang and Lee joining them as executive producers.