Be prepared, because Death Stranding is finally getting the adaptation it deserves.
There are plenty of upcoming video game adaptations that fans of the games should get excited about. Whether you've been waiting a decade for the long-awaited Minecraft movie or you're still expecting a trailer for the upcoming Borderlands film, there is so much coming in the next few years – heck, I'm still waiting for the next season of The Last of Us.
But now, I have something else to get me excited, and it's that Death Stranding is getting an adaptation, which it truly deserves. The game was released in 2019, and ever since, it has gained a decent amount of fans worldwide, so much so that a new game is in the works. But now that a Death Stranding movie is coming out, when can we expect it to be released? And who is going to star? Here is what we know so far.
What Is The Death Stranding Release Date?
As of this writing, in January 2024, there is no set release date for the Death Stranding movie, which isn't that much of a surprise, as it was only just announced in December 2023 by Hideo Kojima Productions.
It would be pretty surprising if a release date was already set, but we can say it won't appear on any 2024 movie schedule – heck, I'd be surprised if it even appeared on a 2025 schedule with how video game movies sometimes work.
Plenty of video games have been turned into movie adaptations, but often, it takes forever for them to get made. Both Borderlands and Minecraft were in development for a decade. Even with The Last of Us, it was initially supposed to become a movie before the game became a series, and then took several years to get off the ground.
I'm saying that with a game like Death Stranding, don't expect a release date any time soon. It takes a long time for stuff like this to get adapted – so we're all just going to have to be patient.
No Cast Members Have Been Announced, And It's Up In The Air If Characters From The Game Will Appear
No cast members have been confirmed as of January 2024, which, again, is not that surprising as the film was just announced a few weeks prior to the new year. However, fans shouldn't expect cast announcements for their favorite characters in the game, at least according to Hideo Kojima.
Kojima, the man behind Death Stranding, did an interview with IGN in December 2022 regarding the film and said that there's no guarantee that characters from the game will appear in the movie, as they're trying to change and evolve the world rather than just adapt it:
The failure of film adaptations of games from a while back has led to a lot of movies that cater to gamers, right? That's why they have the same kind of look as a game. I don't want the Death Stranding movie to be like that. Rather, I'm taking the approach of changing and evolving the world of Death Stranding in a way that suits film well. I made Death Stranding to be a game, and games are games. There's no real need to turn them into films. So, in a way, the Death Stranding movie is taking a direction that nobody has tried before with a movie adaptation of a game. I think that what I need to make is something that will inspire some of the people who watch it to become creators 10 or 20 years down the line.
I think I'll survive if there's no character from the game. However, the cast for that title was filled with stars like Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelson, Troy Baker, and even Guillermo del Toro.
I could see all of them appearing in this movie – what's even better is that Kojima and Reedus are pretty close, as he visited the star on the set of the new AMC series, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, in February 2023:
I would love to see him in this movie and the rest of the cast, but if there are new characters and faces, that works for me, too.
Death Stranding Follows A Courier As He Transports Supplies Across A Post-Apocalyptic United States
If you have no idea what Death Stranding is about, this is what you should know. It was developed by Kojima Productions, founded by Hideo Kojima, a big name in gaming who created the Metal Gear Solid games and several other cinematic masterpieces with innovative and interactive storytelling.
The game follows a man delivering supplies across a United States decimated by a cataclysmic event, creating creatures that hunt down humans. The point is to try and reconnect humans across the country while trying to stay alive along the dangerous pathways and through the stories that evolve.
The game itself is an open-world action simulator and also has online features, too. It's a ton of fun and takes some time to get into, but the lore behind it and the graphics are top-tier.
The Film Won't Be Just A Straight Adaptation Of The Game
With that in mind, Hideo Kojima was adamant in the announcement of the film that the movie would not just be a straight adaptation of the game. Kojima shared this statement, saying:
There are a lot of 'game adaptation films' out there but what we are creating is not just a direct translation of the game…the intention is that our audience will not only be fans of the games, but our film will be for anyone who loves cinema.
I think this works better because the story for Death Stranding can be a bit hard to get into. Either way, I'm excited.
A24 Will Be Making The Movie
Another thing that was confirmed was that A24 is making the Death Stranding movie, which is such fantastic news.
A24 has been on a roll with their releases the last few years. You could check out the best A24 horror movies for a good scare. Or, if you need a good cry, A24 released The Iron Claw in 2023, which tells the story of the Von Erich wrestling family and the tragedies that followed them.
Or, if you're looking for something that won 2023’s Academy Award for Best Picture, check out Everything, Everywhere, All At Once. If you want a wacky movie, check out one of Daniel Radcliffe's best films, Swiss Army Man. Truly, A24 has created some of the best films of the last decade – and I can't wait to see what they do with this.
Hammerstone Studios Will Act As Co-Financer And Executive Producer
Deadline confirmed in December 2023 that Hammerstone Studios would work as a Co-financier and Executive Producer for Death Stranding. Originally, the studio was working on their own Death Stranding movie, but with this news, they will be on board with A24 to make this film.
What are you the most excited for when it comes to Death Stranding? All I know is that we will be waiting some time before it comes out, but I can't wait until we get more information.
