Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding is, much like everything else the brilliant game designer has ever touched, a singular, freaky work of art. Set in a post-apocalyptic United States where the doorway between the worlds of the living and the dead has swung wide open, the game finds you traveling across miles of frequently-barren landscape, avoiding BT’s (invisible monsters who’ve crossed over into our world), delivering packages, and trying to build connections between the pockets of humanity that still survive.
And now, according to Deadline, Death Stranding is getting its very own feature film adaptation:
“Hot on the heels of announcing Death Stranding 2 at The Game Awards, gaming auteur Hideo Kojima’s Kojima Productions has partnered with Barbarian EP Alex Lebovici’s Hammerstone Studios to develop and produce a film adaptation of the former’s hit video game, Death Stranding.
The film being fully financed by Hammerstone will be produced by Kojima and Lebovici via their respective banners, with Kojima Productions US and Allan Ungar serving as exec producers.”
Deadline goes on to say that plot details for the Death Stranding movie are being kept under wraps, but does not that the adaptation will “introduce new elements and characters within the Death Stranding universe.” That’s exciting to hear, particularly with Kojima himself on board to executive produce the film (via Kojima Productions). No writer or director is currently attached to the project, but the fact that it’s being fast-tracked indicates that’ll likely happen sooner rather than later.
It’s also unknown whether or not any of Death Stranding‘s sprawling cast of performers will return for this adaptation. In the game, you play as a borderline photorealistic version of Norman Reedus, and other characters you encounter are played by folks like Guillermo del Toro (!!!), Léa Seydoux, Mads Mikkelsen, and Margaret Qualley. Hell, Conan O’Brien even pops up at one point! Here’s hoping some of these folks (particularly Reedus, whose performance anchors the game) get a crack at playing their characters on the big screen.
Says Barbarian Executive Producer Alex Lebovici:
“We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to partner with brilliant and iconic Hideo Kojima on his first film adaptation. Unlike other big budget tentpole video game adaptations, this will be something far more intimate and grounded. Our goal is to redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom. This film will be an authentic ‘Hideo Kojima’ production.”
Here’s hoping that Kojima, Lebovici, and everyone else involved with this production delivers on that promise. If they do, we’ll have a truly unique, frequently terrifying, and utterly beautiful movie to look forward to.
Stay tuned for more on the Death Stranding movie as further updates become available.
