Best-selling video game Death Stranding is to be developed as a live-action feature from A24 and Japanese creator Hideo Kojima.
No cast or director has yet been revealed but a statement from Kojima Productions said: “The film promises to delve into the mysteries surrounding the apocalyptic event called the ‘Death Stranding’, which blurred the lines between life and death, and brought forth nightmarish creatures into a world on the brink of collapse.”
The 2019 action game was developed by Kojima Productions and has since sold more than 16 million copies. It is set in the US following an apocalyptic event, which result of which sees destructive creatures begin to roam the Earth.
The game was notable for a high-profile cast that was led by Norman Reedus and also included Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux and Margaret Qualley as well as using the likenesses of film directors such as Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn. A sequel to the game is also in development.
The announcement of the film comes ahead of Kojima Productions’ eighth anniversary on December 16. Kojima, one of the most celebrated auteurs in video games, launched the company after splitting with gaming studio Konami, where he worked on Metal Gear Solid among other high-profile titles. He was honoured with a Bafta Fellowship in 2020.
“There are a lot of ‘game adaptation films’ out there but what we are creating is not just a direct translation of the game,” said Kojima. “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.”
US-based indie studio A24 won seven Oscars earlier this year with Everything Everywhere All At Once, awards contender Past Lives and acclaimed Netflix series Beef. Its current slate includes The Iron Claw starring Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White, Mother Mary starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, Dream Scenario starring Nicolas Cage, The Zone Of Interest from Jonathan Glazer and The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. from director Park Chan-Wook.
Originally published at https://www.screendaily.com/news/death-stranding-film-in-development-with-a24-and-hideo-kojima/5188811.article
