Kojima's Dropping Movies Now, Because Of Course He Is
Hideo Kojima celebrated his studio's 10th anniversary by announcing a credit card, some branded saké, and oh yeah, two movies set in the Death Stranding universe. Never change, you magnificent weirdo.
During the "Beyond the Strand" anniversary livestream, Kojima Productions made it clear that they're not done with the strange, melancholy world of porters and BTs. They're expanding it, bringing in some serious talent to tell new stories in both live-action and animation.
Not Your Average Adaptation
First up is the live-action movie, which is being handled by the absolute mad lads at A24. Taking the helm is director Michael Sarnoski, who just finished up work on A Quiet Place: Day One. He joined Kojima on stage to clarify that this won't just be a retelling of Sam Porter Bridges' exhausting cross-country hike.
Instead, the film will tell an original story with new characters, set within the game's world. Sarnoski said they want to "capture the soul of the game, capture the themes of the game, but tell a story you haven’t seen". Kojima himself is too busy to direct, but he assured everyone he is "deeply involved" in the production.
Then There's the Anime
As if one movie wasn't enough, we're also getting an animated feature with the working title Death Stranding Mosquito. This project is being handled by ABC ANIMATION STUDIO, with Hiroshi Miyamoto directing and Aaron Guzikowski, the creator of the criminally underrated sci-fi series Raised by Wolves, penning the script.
The teaser trailer they dropped is a trip. It looks gorgeous, with a premium animation style that avoids the usual cheap cash-in feel. It also features a hell of a lot more punching than I remember from the game, with two characters duking it out in a classic anime brawl. One character looks like a porter, while the other sports a creepy, mosquito-like mouthpart made of that familiar black tar. The name reportedly relates to a character who can "take something from you," like a mosquito taking blood.
Guzikowski seems thrilled to be on board, stating he's "so excited and honoured that Hideo Kojima... has invited me to dwell within his creation, to birth new stories into this fertile, mind-bending universe".
So, What Does This All Mean?
It means the Kojima-verse is officially expanding. It’s clear that even with massive new games like OD and Physint on his plate, Kojima isn't ready to let go of this particular baby. By choosing to tell original stories instead of just adapting the game, he’s treating Death Stranding as a proper universe, a sandbox for other talented creators to play in.
And honestly, I'm all for it. A weird, beautiful, and profoundly sad world like this has more than enough room for a few new stories.