The Death Stranding movie will adapt Hideo Kojima’s hit video game, and there are already some major developments. The game follows a courier named Sam Bridges (Norman Reedus) who sets off on a mission across a war-torn America, looking for surviving communities with the goal of opening up communication and rebuilding civilization. This all happened after an event called Death Stranding opened the door between the living and the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. What made Death Stranding particularly groundbreaking was the use of motion capture, which allowed stars like Norman Reedus and Mads Mikkelsen to appear in the game.

In 2022, the Death Stranding movie was announced, with game designer Hideo Kojima behind the production. It also appears that the movie will be less of a Hollywood-style blockbuster and more of an art-house movie based on the popular video game. With Kojima involved, the Death Stranding movie will likely remain true to the source material without straying too far from the initial vision. There’s also the opportunity to bring back some of the more recognizable cast members, something that isn’t typically found in a video game adaptation.

Death Stranding Movie Latest News

The Movie Finds Its Director

Nearly a year after producer Alex Lebovici debunked rumors that Jordan Peele would be directing the film, the latest update confirms that Death Stranding has found its director. Tapping a filmmaker with a unique pedigree, the A24 co-production has hired Michael Sarnoski to helm the video game movie. The brain behind such films as Pig and A Quiet Place: Day One, Sarnoski will also provide some writing alongside his directorial duties. While the project has been slow-going, Sarnoski’s hiring is a mᴀssive leap in the development of Death Stranding.

The Death Stranding Movie is Confirmed

The Adaptation Has Been Developing Since 2022

Though the movie was known as far back as December 2019, the live-action Death Stranding movie wasn’t put into actual development until 2022. The Death Stranding movie will be part of Hideo Kojima’s studio, Kojima Productions, and it is co-produced by A24, a studio known for its high-profile arthouse releases. Little else has been revealed about the project, but A24’s involvement does bode well for preserving Kojima’s initial vision. Since the announcement, it has been confirmed that Death Stranding will be a live-action adaptation.

A24 announced their partnership with Kojima on X (formerly Twitter):

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There were rumors that popular horror director Jordan Peele would helm the movie, but those were debunked in the middle of 2024. The project sat in limbo for the better part of a year until it was revealed in April 2025 that Michael Sarnoski (A Quiet Place: Day One) will direct the gaming movie. There’s still no production timeline, and it isn’t really clear exactly how the film stands in the development process. Until more information is available, it’s impossible to even speculate on when it could be released.

Death Stranding Movie Cast

Will Any Original Stars Return For The Movie?

Because Death Stranding is still in the developmental phase, there has been no news on the movie’s cast yet. What made the game special was that the characters looked like the voice cast that signed on to portray them. Not only did the actors voice the characters, but they provided motion-captured performances as well. This added a natural cinematic element not found in most games, and that could translate perfectly into a big-screen adaptation.

Norman Reedus starred in the Death Stranding game as Sam Bridges, a courier who is working on an expedition across the United Cities, trying to help reconnect the country. Guillermo del Toro played ᴅᴇᴀᴅman, a doctor for the organization Sam works for. Cliff Unger is an antagonist in the story, a soldier played by Mads Mikkelson. Léa Seydoux also has a part in the Death Stranding cast as Fragile. However, while any of these actors could appear, there is a chance they could be recast, or the story could shift away to focus on new characters.

The Death Stranding video game cast includes:

Actor	Death Stranding Game Role
Norman Reedus	Sam Bridges
Mads Mikkelsen	Cliff Unger
Léa Seydoux	Fragile
Guillermo del Toro	ᴅᴇᴀᴅman

How Hideo Kojima Is Involved In The Death Stranding Movie

The Gaming Icon Will Not Direct

In some of the best news about the Death Stranding movie, Hideo Kojima will be “deeply involved” in the project. However, Kojima will not be the director, instead, those honors go to Michael Sarnoski. Kojima let fans know on X (formerly Twitter) the extent of his involvement, while emphasizing that he would not be involved with the direction of the movie itself. “I am deeply involved in producing, supervising, plotting, look, design, and content… just not in charge of directing” Kojima wrote.

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Death Stranding Movie Story Details

How Will The Movie Adapt The Game?

Hideo Kojima has emphasized that he wants to tell a different story for the Death Stranding movie, and not just adapt the games to the new format. The original Death Stranding game was about a courier named Sam Bridges (Norman Reedus) who was sent out to find and connect the survivors of a post-apocalyptic United States and help reconnect and rebuild civilization. This came after an event known as Death Stranding, which opened a door between the living and the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

If the Death Stranding movie doesn’t bring back Sam and re-tell his story, it might open up the option to showcase other characters and new adventures in this post-apocalyptic landscape. There is also a chance that the Death Stranding movie will tell the same story, but make some major changes to increase its cinematic value. However, at the same time, Hideo Kojima also said that the movie won’t look like a blockbuster and will be a more “arthouse approach.”