HIDEO KOJIMA Declines A24 Offer To Direct Death Stranding Movie: 'I Can’t Right Now'
A24’s Noah Sacco asked Kojima to direct, but the game creator insists he’ll only supervise while focusing on three other projects.
Summary
- A24 asked Hideo Kojima to direct the Death Stranding movie, but he declined, saying he’s busy with three projects.
- Kojima will supervise the story while Michael Sarnoski (A Quiet Place: Day One) writes and directs.
- Casting is unconfirmed, though Norman Reedus has expressed interest in returning as Sam Porter Bridges.
Hideo Kojima walked into Hollywood with one of the most cinematic games of the last decade. Naturally, A24 didn’t waste time trying to push him behind the camera.
According to The New Yorker, A24’s head of film, Noah Sacco, flat-out asked: “Are you sure you don’t want to direct?” Kojima’s answer was basically a polite no.
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Kojima’s plate is already full
The man himself made it clear last year in an interview with Variety. “I’ll supervise the plot and help them make it, but I won’t direct it,” he explained. “I can’t right now with three ongoing projects!”
That’s as close as you’ll get to Kojima saying, please stop asking me to do everything at once. He’s open about the fact that Death Stranding was always meant to live first as a game. He also admits he enjoys hearing people call it cinematic, but directing a two-hour film is a whole different beast.
Time to let someone else handle the headaches of casting, shooting, and studio notes.
Enter Michael Sarnoski
Instead of Kojima, A24 tapped Michael Sarnoski, who just came off A Quiet Place: Day One.
That movie made money, got good reviews, and proved he can juggle atmosphere with suspense. Pretty solid résumé for a project like this.
Sarnoski isn’t just directing, he’s writing the script too. That means Kojima’s ideas will funnel through someone who knows how to shape a narrative for theaters instead of controllers.
Not a straight copy of the game
Back when the adaptation was first announced in 2023, Kojima stressed it wouldn’t be a one-to-one retelling. “Not just a direct translation of the game,” he said. “It will be for anyone who loves cinema.”
That’s an important disclaimer. A faithful shot-for-shot movie version of Death Stranding would either run seven hours or lose most of its soul. Kojima clearly wants something that borrows the spirit but works as its own thing.
And that’s the only smart move here. A24 has built its brand on letting filmmakers get weird, which should suit this material just fine.
What about the cast?
The game’s original lineup was stacked. Norman Reedus. Mads Mikkelsen. Léa Seydoux. Margaret Qualley. Plus Guillermo del Toro and Nicholas Winding Refn lending their likenesses.
None of them are officially on board yet. That said, Reedus has already gone public with his interest in reprising his role. Everyone else is a question mark.
If A24 wants to lean into the weirdness of Kojima’s world, bringing back at least part of that cast would help. But Hollywood isn’t exactly known for making the obvious choice.
No release date yet
Right now, all we know is that the film exists, it’s in A24’s pipeline, and Kojima is keeping a close eye on it while working on his other projects.
No release date, no cast confirmations, no trailers.
For now, Death Stranding fans will have to wait, again. Which, given the game’s obsession with long, lonely treks, feels almost too appropriate.
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