Hideo Kojima is an interdisciplinary genius. Before focusing on the world of video games, he wanted to be a novelist and a film director, and in fact, he wrote several novels that he never published and directed several amateur films with his friends. Ultimately, the world of video games is what gave him the opportunity to express what he has inside, and since then, he has shown that there is no better fit for him. Even if his fiercest critics insist that he is a frustrated director.
It is not, among other things, because Kojima has always rejected the possibility of directing a movie. Something that has been offered to him on multiple occasions. But what he has not rejected is the possibility of producing movies or animes based on his works. Kojima Productions was created with the intention of not only producing video games but all kinds of audiovisual content, and it seems that it is finally going to happen. Because Death Stranding is going to have its own anime.
An anime of its strangest video game
Although he has not revealed more details, in an interview for Variety Japan, the Japanese creator has confirmed that he is developing an anime of Death Stranding. His intention with this is to strengthen the Death Stranding IP, bringing it to other media, and making it more known among the public.
While, as we have already said, no further details have been revealed, there is no shortage of talent in Japan that could create an anime of Death Stranding that lives up to its references. The combination of science fiction and philosophical themes is a specialty of Japanese cinema, particularly animated, so they should have no trouble finding the perfect team to make this adaptation. Even if, still, we do not know any of the names being considered for this ongoing adaptation.
A live-action film adaptation of which we do know details
We know more details about the adaptation of the video game to film. In this case, a live-action one. Death Stranding will be brought to the big screen by A24, a film production company known for its low-budget films adored by critics and festivals around the world, such as Midsommar or Uncut Gems, and that is now also taking charge of the film adaptation of Elden Ring.
The person in charge of directing and writing the film adaptation of Elden Ring will be one of the most well-known and repeated names in today’s Hollywood: Michael Sarnoski. Director and screenwriter of Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, he has already planned his next film after Death Stranding: a grand epic drama titled The Death of Robin Hood with Hugh Jackman as Robin Hood, also for A24, which promises to take his career to a new level if it goes well.
Although Robin Hood will have to wait. First, he has to shoot and release the film adaptation of Death Stranding, which is planned for next 2027. A date that has been recently confirmed by Hideo Kojima himself, thus confirming his close involvement with the project.
It seems that we won’t see all of Death Stranding
With Death Stranding 2: On the Beach set to be released on June 26, it seems that the Death Stranding universe is far from running out of steam. Even though Kojima has confirmed that he does not plan to make more Death Stranding video games in the future. Busy with two video games already, OD for Xbox and Physing for PlayStation, it seems that the future of Death Stranding, for now, lies in other media rather than video games.
That said, we still barely know any details about the movie. We don’t know anything about the anime beyond its existence. And Kojima himself spent four installments of Metal Gear Solid saying that was the last one, this time for real. So we don’t know what the future holds for us, although what is clear is that the coming years belong to Kojima, but above all, they are for Death Stranding.
