Death Stranding Movie in Development From A24 and Hideo Kojima

A Death Stranding movie is in the works from A24 with Hideo Kojima's help. Hideo Kojima is one of the most respected video game developers out there and is one of the few "auteurs" in the gaming space. Most video games are attributed to a larger studio, but Hideo Kojima is one of the few people who has his own name printed on the boxes of his games and has his own studio named after him. While he isn't the sole developer, his vision is so distinct and his style is so uniquely his that it has made him stand out like a film director. His most recent game, Death Stranding, was a clear example of this as it boasted a big budget and big stars, but was not your typical third-person action game.

Now, Death Stranding is being turned into a film. Last December, it was confirmed a Death Stranding movie was in the works and would be financed by Hammerstone Studios, one of the studios behind 2022's Barbarian. It was also noted that Hideo Kojima would be heavily involved in the production of the film. However, the situation has evolved in a pretty significant way as now A24 is attached to the film. It will be a live-action adaptation of Death Stranding, but beyond that, that's really all we know. There are no writers nor a director attached to the film at this moment, but with A24 coming aboard, it looks like things are getting pretty serious and hopefully that means we will get some more significant developments next year. However, A24 is a perfect partner for Death Stranding given its abstract horror aesthetic and the fact it is very auteur-driven. It will likely be one of their biggest films to date in terms of scope and scale, especially since its based on such a giant IP. A24 also celebrated the announcement with Death Stranding-themed merch on its store.

"A24 was born into this world about 10 years ago, their presence is singular within the industry, they are like no other," said Kojima in a statement. "The films they are delivering to the world are high in quality and very innovative. I have been attracted to their creations and they have even inspired my own work. Their innovative approach to storytelling aligns with what Kojima Productions has been doing for the last 8 years. Now, we are making a Death Stranding movie together. There are a lot of "game adaptation films" out there but what we are creating is not just a direct translation of the game. The intention is that our audience will not only be fans of the games, but our film will be for anyone who loves cinema. We are creating a Death Stranding universe that has never been seen before, achievable only through the medium of film, it will be born."  

Death Stranding is a rather unique game to adapt into a film since it's already incredibly cinematic and so much of its themes rely on the language of the gaming medium. It also cast some major stars for its lead roles, so maybe there's a chance the likes of Norman Reedus will appear in the film. It's possible the film could also choose to expand on the existing world rather than do a one-to-one adaptation, but we'll just have to wait and see.

Death Stranding 2 Release Date

At The Game Awards in 2022, Hideo Kojima formally announced Death Stranding 2 for PlayStation 5. The game got a pretty meaty, albeit ambiguous first trailer, but we haven't heard much since then. Some were hoping it would release in 2024, but that may not come to fruition given the prolonged silence on the game. Fans expected a new trailer at The Game Awards this year, but Kojima opted to unveil another new game called OD, a new horror game he's making in collaboration with Xbox and director Jordan Peele.