Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding movie will have an “arthouse approach,” as if it needed to be more cryptic

In an unsurprising move, Hideo Kojima is planning to keep his Death Stranding movie just as confusing and cryptic as the game, saying he will be taking an “arthouse approach” to the upcoming movie adaptation.

In a recent interview with IGN, Kojima spoke about multiple aspects of the project, including his desire not to turn the Death Stranding movie into a “large-scale movie with famous actors and flashy explosions,” and that “Making money isn’t something I’m focused on at all, either.” He also discussed his decision to partner with Alex Lebovici of Hammerstone Studios on the film, saying that Alex was “the only person who offered to make a film like that.”

Related: Hideo Kojima confirms Death Stranding 2 isn’t the only game in development at Kojima Productions

During that same interview, Kojima expressed his uncertainty about whether characters from the game will make their way into the film, stressing that he hopes to steer clear of the mistakes other video game adaptions have made before. He also explained how he wants to evolve and change the world of Death Stranding into one that suits film well, saying, “in a way, the Death Stranding movie is taking a direction that nobody has tried before with a movie adaptation of a game.” He also expresses hope that what he makes will inspire people to become creators over time.

Given the outlandish style and substance of Death Stranding, it makes sense that a more arthouse approach would be appropriate, but it’s likely to have many scratching their heads, much like the game did. With that said, it can’t be denied that the game was one of the most interesting and talked about releases back in 2019, and it’s likely the film will do the same, given Kojima’s track record.

The Death Stranding movie currently has no release date, but it’s currently in development. It’s also not the only project Kojima has going on, having announced a cloud gaming project for Microsoft last year and Death Stranding 2 during The Game Awards 2022.

About the author

Matthew Fuller

Matt is a freelance writer based in the UK and has spent over three years covering and writing about video games. He discovered his love of games journalism while attending Canterbury Christchurch University, where he earned a bachelor's and master's degree in Game Design and has been writing ever since. He will find any excuse to play and write about games. When he isn't fighting dragons or exploring far-off galaxies, he spends his free time playing D&D, listening to music, or reading a good book. His primary game bests are Diablo IV, the Final Fantasy series, D&D, and anything new releasing that tickles his fancy.

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