Hideo Kojima recently recounted how Norman Reedus, star of The Walking Dead, quickly signed on to star in Death Stranding. Despite the game's early development stage, Reedus readily accepted Kojima's pitch, a testament to Kojima's reputation and the intrigue of the project.
Death Stranding, a surprise hit, featured Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges, a courier traversing a post-apocalyptic landscape fraught with danger. Reedus's performance, alongside other Hollywood actors, contributed significantly to the game's success and its lasting impact on gaming culture.
Kojima shared on Twitter that he initially pitched Death Stranding to Reedus over sushi, receiving an immediate affirmative. Remarkably, within a month, Reedus was in the studio for motion capture, likely contributing to the iconic E3 2016 teaser trailer.
This anecdote highlights the nascent stage of Kojima Productions at the time, newly independent after Kojima's departure from Konami. Kojima's connection with Reedus stemmed from their collaboration on the canceled Silent Hills project (and its infamous P.T. demo), demonstrating how even unfulfilled projects can yield unexpected fruitful collaborations. The swift agreement between Kojima and Reedus underscores the mutual trust and vision that fueled Death Stranding's creation.
