Michael Sarnoski, the acclaimed director behind A Quiet Place: Day One, is set to take the helm of the live-action adaptation of Kojima Productions' Death Stranding. According to Deadline, Sarnoski will not only direct but also write the screenplay for this project, which will be co-produced by A24, Kojima Productions, and Square Peg. Sarnoski's previous work includes the A Quiet Place spin-off Day One and the 2021 film Pig, featuring Nicolas Cage. He is also slated to write and direct The Death of Robin Hood, another A24 production.
While specific details about the *Death Stranding* adaptation remain under wraps, the original 2019 game offers rich material for a cinematic experience. In the game, players navigate a post-apocalyptic wasteland, striving to reconnect a fragmented America amidst an extinction-level event, all while evading eerie creatures and encountering bizarre phenomena. The game's inherent cinematic flair, thanks to Hideo Kojima's visionary direction, makes it a promising candidate for a live-action film.The game boasted a stellar cast, including Norman Reedus as the protagonist Sam Bridges, alongside Léa Seydoux, Mads Mikkelsen, Guillermo del Toro, and Margaret Qualley. It remains to be seen whether these actors will reprise their roles in the upcoming adaptation.
Kojima Productions is not slowing down, as they have also announced Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, set to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively for PlayStation 5. This sequel will feature new stars such as Luca Marinelli and Elle Fanning, further expanding the universe of Death Stranding.
With the Metal Gear Solid movie still in development, albeit with fewer updates, the Death Stranding adaptation seems well-positioned to successfully transition to the big screen, given its compelling narrative and star power.