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Adapting a video game to the big screen isn’t easy, but Death Stranding might prove to be an exceptional challenge. In a new episode of his HideoTube web series, Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima spoke about the upcoming film and his partnership with A24, his goal to create an award-winning adaptation, and if Norman Reedus will reprise his role from the video game for the live-action adaptation.
“It’s easier to adapt it into a TV series, like The Last of Us,” Kojima said. “It’s quite difficult to adapt a 50-60 hour game like Death Stranding into a two or three-hour movie. The worldview won’t change, of course. But the story of the game as is won’t fit into just two hours. We’re still looking at how to approach it.”
“In the past, film adaptations of video games always failed, you know. But in the last four to five years, people who understand games have taken on the task of adapting it into a film or drama. And several hits have been made, like The Super Mario Bros. Movie. And that’s the trend these days, but with A24, I want to make something that’s based on a game, but also indie and artistic, something that can win awards at film festivals like Cannes, Venice or Sundance.”
Released in 2019, Death Stranding contains dozens of hours of cinematic content, as the Kojima Productions game takes its time to flesh out its lore, characters, and the state of a world where humanity is on the brink of extinction.
So who will star in Death Stranding? The original game featured the voice and likeness of Norman Reedus as Sam Porter, and while The Walking Dead actor might be the obvious choice, Kojima explained that nothing had been decided yet and the hunt for a director is still on.
Beyond his work on creating a Death Stranding film franchise, Kojima also has his hands full with several other projects. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is scheduled to launch in 2025, Kojima is teaming up with Get Out director Jordan Peele for OD, and the veteran developer is making a Metal Gear-like game under the working title of Physint.
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