A24's Death Stranding Movie Lands A Brilliant But Unlikely Director

"Death Stranding" is one of the greatest games of the modern era, an undefinable masterpiece that bridges gaming and cinema in a way many other games claims they do but never actually achieve. It's a visually exquisite, narratively riveting game that boasts a cast bigger than most blockbuster movies — not in A-list names, necessarily, but in movie fans' beloved favorite directors, actors, and even Conan O'Brien.

So when the news came out that "Death Stranding" was not just becoming a movie, but that it'd have A24 producing it, it was a rare case of Hollywood getting it 100% right. After all, creator Hideo Kojima is an avid cinephile, constantly sharing every single movie he sees on social media — and also doing some absolutely soul-crushingly scathing write-ups of the movies he didn't like. Kojima is not the type of guy to be content with just having his masterpiece become a multi-million dollar blockbuster with flashy effects and a gimmicky cast. No, his ideal adaptation would basically be an A24 or Neon movie made by an A24 or Neon director.

Thankfully, that's exactly what we're getting. A24 and Kojima Productions announced that Michael Sarnoski will be directing the adaptation of "Death Stranding." Sarnoski previously directed "A Quiet Place: Day One," and also the Nicolas Cage movie "Pig."

"Death Stranding" is set in a future where catastrophic events opened a doorway between the living and the dead, after grotesque creatures began crossing over and roaming the world. The game features stunning imagery that looks less like a traditional AAA blockbuster game and more like an indie movie, with a slow burn of a story told through meticulous pacing.

In short, it's a movie destined for the film festival crowd. Michael Sarnoski, a soulful filmmaker in the vein of Jeff Nichols (but without the Southern tinge), might not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of the sci-fi elements of the "Death Stranding" story. Sarnoski's "Pig" is a haunting drama that's quiet and contemplative, letting the audience become intimately familiar with the main character, his world, and his pig, despite seeming like a standard revenge thriller on the surface. Even when Sarnoski tackled a blockbuster movie in "A Quiet Place: Day One," it wasn't the obnoxious franchise exploitation cash-in movie many expected it to be. Instead, it meticulously explored the world of the franchise and how regular people live in it, painting an image of a lived-in world and focusing on its characters instead of spectacle.

"Death Stranding" is not the type of video game adaptation that will crack a billion dollars at the box office like "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." Instead, it was always destined to be a prestige movie that could give the right director the chance to play in a big sandbox while still retaining the production limitations that bring forth creativity of an indie film. If Hideo Kojima is interested in moving toward filmmaking, Michael Sarnoski is an unexpected but perfect choice for his first movie project.