The long-awaited film adaptation of Death Stranding is making concrete progress. Director Michael Sarnoski, known for his work on Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, confirmed that he has delivered a second version of the script and that the goal is to start filming in 2027.
In an interview with Variety, the filmmaker revealed that the recordings would take place in Iceland and Northern Ireland, two locations that fit the desolate and mysterious aesthetic of the universe created by Hideo Kojima.
The highly anticipated film adaptation of Death Stranding continues to take concrete steps
The movie will tell an original story within the Death Stranding universe
Although specific details of the plot are still unknown, Sarnoski explained that the film will not directly adapt the events of the video games.
Instead, it will focus on an original story set in the same post-apocalyptic world that players experienced in the saga's installments.
"I want it to feel grand, but also strange and character-driven," the director explained. "The story takes place within the universe of the video game, but it will have its own group of protagonists."
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There will be familiar characters for fans
Beyond the presence of new characters, Sarnoski confirmed that there will be figures linked to the games appearing in the film.
"There are characters that intersect with the story and that fans will be very happy to see," the filmmaker teased, without revealing specific names.
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The statement fueled speculation about possible returns of iconic franchise figures such as Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, as well as other characters like Fragile or Higgs.
In fact, Reedus had previously expressed his interest in reprising the role of Sam in the film adaptation.
A24 and Hideo Kojima lead the project
The production will be handled by A24, one of the most prestigious studios in contemporary independent cinema.
Anthropic reversed its decision and suspended the update
The company will work alongside Ari Aster and his producing partner Lars Knudsen, while Hideo Kojima will be actively involved in the project's development.
The direct involvement of the Japanese creator is seen as a guarantee for many fans of the saga, especially after the enormous success of Death Stranding both within and outside the world of video games.
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The Death Stranding universe will continue to expand
The movie will not be the only project based on the franchise. Kojima previously confirmed that there are other developments underway, including an animated series and an anime film set in the same universe.
Additionally, the Japanese creator acknowledged that he has ideas for a potential Death Stranding 3, although he clarified that he currently does not plan to take on its development personally.
Meanwhile, Kojima Productions continues to work on other important projects such as OD, an episodic horror video game, and Physint, a new tactical espionage proposal aiming to become one of the major releases of the next generation of consoles.
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When could the Death Stranding movie be released
At the moment, the film adaptation does not have an official release date.
However, if filming does indeed begin in 2027 as the studio intends, all indications suggest that the movie could hit theaters between late 2028 and early 2029.