This has been a huge year for successful video game adaptations. Not only is The Last Of Us widely acclaimed as one of the best TV series of the year, but The Super Mario Bros Movie is #2 at the worldwide box office in 2023. Now, the year is closing out on a massive bit of game-to-screen news. Not only is a Death Stranding movie on the way, bringing the wild world imagined by gaming auteur Hideo Kojima to a brand new medium – but it’s coming in collaboration with A24.
The news was confirmed by Kojima himself, who shared a statement online about the collaboration. “A24 was born into this world about 10 years ago, their presence is singular within the industry, they are like no other,” he wrote. “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 eight 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.”
Now, as with all of Kojima’s games (see also the Metal Gear series), it isn’t exactly easy to sum up Death Stranding. Chiefly, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic America, with Norman Reedus’ Sam Porter Bridges tasked with couriering packages across desolate landscapes, while avoiding attacks from ‘beached things’ (aka BTs), and dodging rain that causes you to age. He also carries around a baby in a jar, which helps to warn of incoming attacks. It’s a particularly wild brew – and one that’ll be fascinating to see translated to the big screen.
Much is unknown – including who’ll be directing, how exactly the game’s world will be interpreted into a cinematic experience, whether Reedus will play his character again in a new medium, and if the game’s notable cameos (the likenesses of Guillermo del Toro, Edgar Wright, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Margaret Qualley all appear while you play) will be part of the movie. Either way, with this film and a second Death Stranding game on the way, here’s hoping Kojima continues to… deliver. (Sorry.)