Death Stranding, the acclaimed post-apocalyptic video game from legendary game director Hideo Kojima (The Metal Gear series), is set to receive a feature film adaptation as Kojima Productions partners with Barbarian executive producer Alex Lebovici’s Hammerstone Studios.
The upcoming film will be the first time that Kojima Productions works on a feature adaptation and won’t be a simple retelling of the game’s story. While the finer details surrounding the film’s plot are still being kept under wraps, it has been confirmed that it will introduce new characters and elements to the world of Death Stranding. The film is on the fast track with development underway.
Kojima will develop the film alongside Lebovci with both also serving as producers. Hammerstone will fully finance the project with Kojima Production US and Allan Ungar executive producing. “We are thrilled and honored to have the opportunity to partner with brilliant and iconic Hideo Kojima on his first film adaptation,” said Lebovici. “Unlike other big-budget tentpole video game adaptations, this will be something far more intimate and grounded. Our goal is to redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom. This film will be an authentic "Hideo Kojima” production.”
Kojima himself also provided a statement with the reveal of the feature adaptation, saying, “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.”
What is Death Stranding About?
First released in 2019 on the PlayStation 4, Death Stranding takes place in a fractured world following a cataclysmic event known as “Death Stranding,” which saw the area between the living world and the afterlife, known as The Beach, become entwined with the physical world which opened a doorway between the living and the dead, leading to creatures from the afterlife roaming the fallen world marred by a desolate society. The story follows Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, who works as a Porter, someone who travels across the desolate land to deliver goods to the isolated survivors. When the final President of the United States dies, Sam is tasked with reconnecting America and delivering a future that the survivors of the world can have hope for. Along the way, he meets many different characters, all portrayed by an all-star cast that includes Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Guillermo del Toro, Margaret Qualley, and Troy Baker, among many others. The game along with its “Director’s Cut” release from 2021 has sold over 10 million copies. At the Game Awards 2022, it was revealed with a teaser trailer that a sequel was in development, currently titled Death Stranding 2 (Working Title) that is being made for the PlayStation 5 with Kojima once again serving as writer, director, producer, and designer.
Death Stranding is available right now for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Microsoft Windows. You can check out the teaser trailer for the upcoming sequel Death Stranding 2 (Working Title) down below: