Death Stranding Animated Film in the Works, Written by Raised by Wolves Creator Aaron Guzikowski

The haunting, surreal universe of Death Stranding is expanding beyond video games — again. Following the previously announced live-action adaptation by A24 with director Michael Sarnoski (Pig), a second Death Stranding film project has now been revealed: an adult-focused animated feature being developed by animation studio Line Mileage in collaboration with Kojima Productions, with acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski (Raised by Wolves, Prisoners) penning the script.

As first reported by Deadline, the animated movie will introduce an original storyline set in the same universe, but with new characters and settings not yet explored in the games. The film promises to deliver mature themes and complex emotional narratives — hallmarks of Kojima’s storytelling.

"I love the world of Death Stranding. It's so creatively freeing, so beautifully dark and yet hopeful… I'm so excited and honored that Hideo Kojima, whose work I've long admired, has invited me to dwell within his creation," said Guzikowski, expressing his passion for the project.

Line Mileage’s Chief Creative Officer, Daniel Dominguez, also commented on the adaptation, praising the game’s cinematic legacy and likening it to science fiction masterpieces like Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell. He called working with Guzikowski "a dream come true" and emphasized the opportunity to bring the game’s emotionally charged world to life in a format it so naturally lends itself to: animation.

A New Era of Death Stranding Across Mediums

This announcement comes just one week ahead of the release of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, set to launch on PlayStation 5 on June 26, 2025. With two cinematic projects now in development, Kojima Productions is clearly making a long-term commitment to expanding the Death Stranding franchise across media.

And yet, Kojima remains true to his artistic provocations. In a recent Rolling Stone interview, co-composer Woodkid revealed that Kojima made changes to the sequel because early feedback was too positive. Rather than being comforted by praise, Kojima chose to lean into polarizing narrative changes, aiming to stir more diverse emotional reactions. That same drive for divisive storytelling may extend to these film adaptations as well.

It remains unclear how directly involved Hideo Kojima will be in the animated or live-action versions. But if his philosophy on audience response is any indication, the upcoming films will challenge perceptions — and perhaps even reshape how game-to-film adaptations are approached going forward.

 
Which adaptation are you more excited about — the live-action Death Stranding from A24, or the new animated film written by Aaron Guzikowski? Share your thoughts below!