Hideo Kojima Recounts Norman Reedus' Immediate Commitment to Death Stranding

Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima recently shared the surprisingly swift recruitment of Norman Reedus for Death Stranding. Despite the game being in its very early stages of development, Reedus readily agreed to join the project.

Death Stranding, a unique post-apocalyptic title, unexpectedly became a critical and commercial success. Norman Reedus' portrayal of Sam Porter Bridges, a courier traversing hazardous terrain filled with BTs and MULES, was pivotal to the game's appeal. His performance, alongside other Hollywood talent, contributed significantly to the game's lasting impact and generated considerable buzz following its release.

With Death Stranding 2 now underway and Reedus returning, Kojima revealed the genesis of their collaboration. He recounted pitching the game to Reedus at a sushi restaurant, receiving an immediate affirmative response—even before a script existed. Within a month, Reedus was in the studio for motion capture, likely contributing to the iconic Death Stranding E3 2016 trailer.

Kojima also shed light on his circumstances at the time. He had recently established Kojima Productions as an independent entity after parting ways with Konami, where he worked extensively on the Metal Gear franchise. His prior collaboration with Guillermo del Toro on the cancelled Silent Hills project (famously represented by the P.T. demo) facilitated his connection with Reedus, ultimately paving the way for their partnership on Death Stranding.