The popular Death Stranding video game is set to be adapted into a feature film with the game’s acclaimed creator, Hideo Kojima, as producer.
The popular Death Stranding video game is set to be adapted into a feature film with the game's acclaimed creator, Hideo Kojima, as producer. Kojima began his career in the 1980s working for Konami in the Japanese video game industry. He quickly made a name for himself by developing the 1987 MSX2 stealth-action game, Metal Gear. Although Kojima created other games in his career, to include Snatcher and Policenauts, Metal Gear proved to be his greatest success. The franchise spawned over a dozen sequels and spinoffs, concluding in 2015 with Metal Gear Sold V: The Phantom Pain. After his controversial firing from Konami, he formed Kojima Productions and developed the critically-acclaimed award-winning science-fiction action game, Death Stranding, for the PlayStation 4.
Per Variety, the Death Stranding video game is set to become a major motion picture. Kojima's studio, Kojima Productions, has partnered with Hammerstone Studios to develop and produce the film. Although it is unclear if the movie's plot will remain faithful to the original game, new elements and characters will be introduced into the Death Stranding universe. Alex Lebovici of Hammerstone Studios said he was "thrilled and honored" to work with Kojima and wants to "redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom." Lebovici calls the film "an authentic Hideo Kojima production." Read Kojima's statement regarding the adaptation below:
“I couldn’t be more excited about this new partnership with Hammerstone Studios. This is a pivotal moment for the franchise and I’m really looking forward to collaborating with them in bringing Death Stranding to the big screen.”
The original Death Stranding video game let the player control Sam Bridges, portrayed by The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus, a porter who is tasked with connecting survivors strewn across a post-apocalyptic United States in hope to rebuild civilization after the destructive Death Stranding event opened a doorway between the living and the dead. Set in a vast open-world, Sam is given cargo to deliver to various locations with the bulk of the gameplay structured around stability and weight management as well as traversing the treacherous environment. Sam encounters various enemies throughout his travels including the strange otherworldly BTs (beached things), rogue porters known as MULEs, and timefall, a dangerous rain that can deteriorate the Sam's armor.
Reedus is joined by an all-star cast in Death Stranding to include No Time to Die's Léa Seydoux, Nightmare Alley director Guillermo del Toro, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore's Mads Mikkelsen, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's Margaret Qualley, and The Last of Us' Troy Baker. It is unknown if any of the video game's stars will reprise their roles for the cinematic adaptation. However, Reedus, Seydoux, and Baker are still attached to the franchise as they are set to appear as main characters in the recently announced Death Stranding 2.
Kojima's games are hailed as feats of compelling cinematic storytelling, his narratives are notoriously convoluted. Although well-received by critics and fans alike, Death Stranding proved to be no exception. Even his most straight-forward narrative, Metal Gear Solid, found itself bogged down in deeply thematic conversations entangled in twisted eccentric plot lines. Metal Gear Solid has been linked with film adaptations since 2006, firmly set in development hell for years. The project has only recently gained traction after many drafts and Oscar Isaac announced as the film's lead in December 2020. However, with recent successful video game adaptations hitting the big screen to include Sonic the Hedgehog and Uncharted, Hollywood has shown that industry is ready to tap into the massive video game industry. With Death Stranding only just announced, fans will have to be patient to see if the upcoming adaptation will truly honor Kojima's original vision.
Source: Variety
Brandon Louis is a TV/Movie news writer. He grew up absorbing every book, movie, TV show that he could get his eyes on. With a passion for storytelling, his favorite media can give an idea of who he is: Vertigo, Panic Room, Jurassic Park, Lawrence of Arabia.
Death Stranding Movie In Development With Hideo Kojima As … – Screen Rant
