Hideo Kojima and director Michael Sarnoski have confirmed that A24’s Death Stranding movie will tell a new story instead of retelling the events of the games.
The pair spoke about their upcoming live-action movie spinoff during the Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary Livestream today. It’s an event that came with the first story details we’ve heard since the project was announced.
“I think, with this project, we really want to capture the soul of the game, capture the themes of the game, but tell a story you haven’t seen in that world and explore characters you haven’t seen before,” Sarnoski said, “and find all of that scope and all of those incredible real locations, but also find all of those nuanced characters and just do justice to this on a macro and micro scale.”
Kojima suggested during the broadcast that there were concerns about shrinking the original Death Stranding story down into a two-hour movie. That’s why he sought out a filmmaker who could both direct and write the project to carve out their own spot in that universe.
“We’re trying to find another story that you’ve never seen in this same universe that is both accessible to people that have never played these games before but will also give something to people that know the games really well,” Sarnoski continued. “I think finding that balance and finding a way to tell a human story in this world that captures everything that we love about it, as well as being able to stand on its own two feet, is really the goal.”
Sarnoski’s comments aren’t confirmation that characters like Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus), Fragile (Léa Seydoux), or Mama (Margaret Qualley) won’t show up for a cameo or two, but eager fans may want to keep expectations in check for now. In other words, those hoping to see some of Death Stranding’s real-life movie stars reprise their roles for the live-action film may be out of luck.
Kojima Productions and A24 announced the Death Stranding movie in 2023. Although Kojima confirmed that he wouldn’t be handling the directing duties himself, he has said he’s “deeply involved” in its development. A Quiet Place: Day One and Pig’s Sarnoski was eventually picked to lead the project.
“I was terrified by the idea of taking something this big on, especially after A Quiet Place, which was a really big endeavor,” Sarnoski added. “But it was after meeting Kojima-san and talking to A24 that I realized how much freedom they were willing to give me on this project. Kojima-san is a true artist, and he really wants ot support other artists, and he’s letting me play in this sandbox and in this world as much as I wanted.”
Kojima, Sarnoski, and A24’s live-action Death Stranding movie currently has no release date. Be sure to check out everything announced at the Kojima Productions 10th Anniversary Livestream while we wait for updates. You can also check out a first look at the Death Stranding animated movie.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
