Hideo Kojima Recounts Norman Reedus's Immediate Commitment to Death Stranding
The creator of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima, recently shared the surprisingly swift story of how Norman Reedus, star of The Walking Dead, joined the cast of Death Stranding. Despite the game's early development stage, Reedus readily agreed to participate.
Death Stranding, a unique post-apocalyptic title from a highly respected game developer, unexpectedly became a major success. Central to the game's appeal was Norman Reedus's portrayal of Sam Porter Bridges, a courier traversing dangerous landscapes filled with hostile BT creatures and MULES. Reedus's performance, alongside other Hollywood talent, contributed significantly to the game's captivating narrative, fueling its popularity in the months following its release.
With Death Stranding 2 now in production and Reedus reprising his role, Kojima revealed on Twitter the speed at which Reedus signed on. The pitch, delivered over sushi, resulted in an immediate "yes" from Reedus, 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 teaser.
Kojima's post also highlighted the nascent state of Kojima Productions at the time. Having recently established the independent studio following his departure from Konami (where he developed the Metal Gear series), Kojima essentially pitched Death Stranding with "nothing." His prior collaboration with Guillermo del Toro on the cancelled Silent Hills project (known for its chilling P.T. teaser) initially forged the connection with Reedus, ultimately leading to their partnership on Death Stranding.
