Two Death Stranding film adaptations are currently in the works. One is a live-action film by A24, with Michael Sarnoski directing, and the other is a newly announced animated movie.
This animated version is being created by the animation studio Line Mileage, in partnership with Kojima Productions. Aaron Guzikowski, the creator of Raised by Wolves, has signed on to write the script for this project.
The animated film will focus on an original story within the Death Stranding universe, a narrative not yet explored in the games. Guzikowski expressed his excitement about the project in a statement to Deadline, saying, “I love the world of Death Stranding. It’s creatively freeing, dark, yet hopeful. I’ve admired Hideo Kojima’s work for years, and I’m honored to bring new stories to this mind-bending universe. Animation has always been a passion of mine, so being able to work in this space is a dream come true.”
Daniel Dominguez, the chief creative officer at Line Mileage, shared his enthusiasm about the project as well, comparing Death Stranding to iconic films like Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell. He said, “As an avid gamer, I can say without a doubt that Death Stranding is the most cinematic, thought-provoking video game I’ve ever played. Adapting it into a form that mirrors its cinematic depth is an honor. Having Aaron Guzikowski lend his talents to this project is a dream come true.”
The second installment of the Death Stranding series, titled Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, is set to release within a week of this article’s publication. With two film adaptations now in development, it’s clear that the franchise will continue to expand for a long time to come. Whether this expansion is met with positive or negative reception remains to be seen, depending on how the game and films are received. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Woodkid, the co-composer for Death Stranding 2, shared that Kojima intentionally made the game more polarizing after receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback in early playtests. This approach could also apply to the adaptations, as how audiences react to the narrative in each will be crucial to their success.