Hideo Kojima, the visionary creator behind the video games Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, is making strategic moves to bridge the worlds of gaming and Hollywood. In a recent interview with Variety, Kojima disclosed his collaboration with Hollywood talent agency WME to expand his influence into TV and film.
Since launching Kojima Productions in 2015 after departing Konami, Hideo Kojima released Death Stranding in 2019, which was his first game under the new banner. He now plans to leverage this creation further, laying out a three-phase strategy for his studio’s future. The initial phase focused on establishing Death Stranding within the gaming industry and expanding its accessibility on global platforms like Apple, PC, and Sony — a goal Kojima finds relatively straightforward.
The sequel to Death Stranding is on the horizon, set for release next year. But Kojima’s ambitions stretch beyond games. “What comes next are different forms of media: movies, anime, TV dramas, etc. Basically, expanding the game IP to other media. That’s the second phase,” he explains. “I created Kojima Productions under the scope of “digital entertainment,” but I don’t think it necessarily has to be a video game. We could create a new IP from a game, or an anime, or a film, or something totally different. Anything is possible.”
Kojima emphasised the potential for collaboration with global talents to create novel digital content, “For the third phase, I would like to work with talented people from around the world and create something new, with “digital” being the keyword. It could be a movie, a game, or something else entirely. I can’t die until then! I don’t think I’m trying to do anything too out of the ordinary!” While details remain vague, his enthusiasm for innovation is clear.
Despite his broad aspirations, Kojima assured he is not aiming to direct films himself. He confirmed his role in the upcoming Death Stranding movie, produced with A24, would be to supervise the plot and ensure its faithful adaptation, rather than direct. He named several top filmmakers like Jordan Peele, Guillermo del Toro, Nicolas Winding Refn, and George Miller as potential collaborators, underscoring his well-established connections within the film industry.
Kojima also teased multiple Death Stranding adaptation projects and another movie script he has written, which he hopes will serve as a pilot project for his expansive digital entertainment vision. His comment that “movies and games are two different branches, but pretty soon, it will be very similar,” suggests an impending convergence of these mediums, shaping a future where Kojima’s creations could transcend traditional media boundaries, offering fans a blend of cinematic and interactive experiences.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
Edwin Teo
