A Death Stranding movie is happening and it will add new characters

A Death Stranding movie is officially in the works as a joint effort between Kojima Productions and Hammerstone Studios.

Deadline reports that the plot of the film is still under wraps, but is likely to "introduce new elements and characters within the Death Stranding universe." The outlet reports that development is on the "fast track," though the film's writer and director have not yet been revealed.

"Unlike other big budget tentpole video game adaptations, this will be something far more intimate and grounded," Alex Lebovici of Hammerstone says. "Our goal is to redefine what a video game adaptation could be when you have creative and artistic freedom. This film will be an authentic 'Hideo Kojima' production."

It's unclear to what extent Death Stranding creator Hideo Kojima himself will be involved with the project, though his studio will have a role in production. Kojima Productions US and Allan Ungar will serve as executive producers,

Kojima says he "couldn’t be more excited about this new partnership," which is exactly the line you'd expect to see in literally any press release about a major adaptation. I choose to believe that we're getting this boilerplate statement because Kojima himself couldn't be reached for comment on account of passing out from excitement over the news.

Kojima's love of film is well-established. His games frequently feature hour-long cutscenes, at least one Metal Gear character speaks almost exclusively in classic film trivia, and Kojima's Twitter bio has long noted that "70% of my body is made of movies." Death Stranding features numerous Hollywood actors, too.

A Metal Gear Solid movie has been in the works for over a decade, though Kojima himself is now separated from the rights to that series. Solid Snake actor Oscar Isaac remains hopeful about the film's prospects, though.

The video game Death Stranding 2 was announced just last week, featuring returning stars like Norman Reedus, Lea Seydoux, and Troy Baker, alongside new additions like Elle Fanning and Shioli Kutsuna.

The world of upcoming video game movies is getting increasingly crowded, so you can follow that link for a big breakdown.