Hideo Kojima’s latest game series, Death Stranding, is heading to the big screen with the help of Alex Lebovici’s Hammerstone Studios.
Just last week, Kojima took the stage at The Game Awards to announce Death Stranding 2 (which is a working title for the moment), but now that universe is expanding even further. Today, Kojima Productions have announce they’ve partnered up with Hammerstone Studios and Alex Lebovici (the executive producer behind Barbarian) to create a big screen “adaptation.”
The plot for the project, which marks the first ever feature adaptation for KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, is being kept under wraps but will introduce new elements and characters within the “DEATH STRANDING” universe. It is on the fast track with development underway.
Kojima, under his KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS banner, and Lebovici, under his Hammerstone Studios banner, will develop and produce, with Hammerstone also fully financing. KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS US and Allan Ungar will executive produce.
“I couldn’t be more excited about this new partnership with Hammerstone Studios,” said Hideo Kojima. “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.”
“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.”
The DEATH STRANDING franchise has connected with over 10 million ‘porters’ worldwide since its original launch on PlayStation®4 in 2019. Featuring an all-star cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Guillermo del Toro and Margaret Qualley, DEATH STRANDING challenges players to reconnect a fractured society after the cataclysmic ‘Death Stranding’ event. This has opened a doorway between the living and the dead, leading to creatures from the afterlife roaming the fallen world marred by a desolate society. Carrying the disconnected remnants of humanity’s future in his hands, players embody “Sam Bridges” as he embarks on a mission to deliver hope to humanity by connecting the last survivors of a decimated America.
From the sounds of it, this won’t necessarily be a direct adaptation of the game(s) but will serve as a new story set within that universe. Considering the game incorporates plenty of actors already, it would make sense to see them make the jump into this movie, in some capacity. Either way, it’s exciting to see at least ONE of Kojima’s games moving forward as a movie…still waiting on that Metal Gear Solid flick.
