Death Stranding 2: On the Beach Won’t Include Mads Mikkelsen

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach creator Hideo Kojima shared an update with fans that may be obvious to Death Stranding enjoyers but was worth saying regardless: Mads Mikkelsen will not be in the next Death Stranding game. Kojima confirmed as much in an update shared on Twitter with another shared soon afterwards that clarified his comments and how important Mikkelsen and his character, Cliff, were to the Death Stranding story, but because of that importance and the role that they played, they won’t be brought back in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.

Kojima’s comments follow the full reveal of the game during PlayStation’s most recent State of Play where reports about the game’s rumored name were confirmed. Some actors were already rumored for the sequel, and more were confirmed during that PlayStation event, but Mikkelsen won’t be among the cast in Kojima’s next game.

Mads Mikkelsen Won’t Be in Death Stranding 2

Expectedly, people began asking Kojima about whether or not Mikkelsen would be in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach soon after the game got its second, very long trailer during the PlayStation State of Play. Mikkelsen was one of the more prominent actors included in Death Stranding who was featured over and over again throughout the game as Cliff Ungeralongside Norman Reedus, so players grew used to seeing him and hoped for more in Death Stranding 2.

“We have received many enthusiastic messages from you saying, ‘I want to see Cliff in DS2 too!’” Kojima said on Twitter. “However, Mads is not appearing in DEATH STRANDING 2 ON THE BEACH.”

Within a couple of hours after that tweet was shared, Kojima got mixed responses by some who were upset that Mikkelsen wouldn’t be back in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach while others suggested that they weren’t buying that statement. Whether because he anticipated either of those kinds of responses and wanted to get ahead of them or just wanted to clarify his comments, Kojima followed up the tweet soon afterwards to say more definitively that Mikkelsen wouldn’t be in the next game while also explaining why.

“If you have PLAYED DS1 to the end, you will understand,” Kojima continued. “Cliff is a character who played a very important and special role in Death Stranding. Mads understood this and performed it beautifully. Mads’ Cliff will remain in the story of Death Stranding and in your memories forever. It is because we care about the character of Cliff that he will not appear in DS2. Please understand.”

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Though Mikkelsen won’t be in the game, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will still be loaded with high-profile stars and creators. Norman Reedus will of course be back for the game, and not long ago, both Lindsay Wagner and Léa Seydoux were confirmed to be involved, too. In the most recent trailer for the game, Mad Max director George Miller was also confirmed for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.