Major spoilers ahead for Death Stranding 2.

Though Hideo Kojima may be stepping away from the Death Stranding franchise following the release of the critically acclaimed DS2: On the Beach, the series is not being left to stagnate. Not only is there an upcoming world tour that will focus on the music of the Death Stranding franchise, but there are two films in the works. The first is a live-action project from renowned horror studio A24, while the second is an animated film that is currently under the working title of Death Stranding: Mosquito. There’s good reason to be optimistic about both these projects, but they share an approach that could leave game fans wanting more.

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Both the live-action film and anime will be focusing on original characters and stories, meaning that gamers hoping to see more of Sam Porter Bridges, Tomorrow, and the rest of the Death Stranding supporting cast are out of luck. Sure, cameos cannot be entirely ruled out, but neither film is likely to continue the narrative in a meaningful way. The positives of this approach are obvious, though there’s a glaring negative that can’t be ignored: Death Stranding is missing two glaring opportunities to follow-up on the pseudo-cliffhanger from DS2’s post-credits scene.

Death Stranding 2’s Post Credits Scene May Never Be Expanded On

Though Hideo Kojima has said that he has an idea for a third Death Stranding game on a flash drive full of concepts for Kojima Productions to pursue one day, he has also said that he likely won’t be the one to make it. With Kojima’s schedule busy thanks to the upcoming horror game OD and Physint, another Death Stranding game would surely have to be created under a different director’s watch, and much like Metal Gear Solid, there would likely be some pushback to continuing the series without Kojima at the helm. While there is certainly still a chance Death Stranding 3 could happen, it seems fairly low, which means the two films could have been a saving grace for those desperate to see the story continue.

Death Stranding 2’s cliffhanger of sorts seemingly showed a jump forward in time, as Tomorrow boasts a Porter’s outfit, a fresh hairstyle, and items collected from all her former friends. She’s shown staring down a new plate gate, seemingly suggesting a future where she takes on Sam’s mission of linking up the rest of the world. Where Tomorrow’s father and all the other characters have gone is anyone’s guess, though the scene certainly implies they’ve either passed on or are separated somehow. While the post-credits stinger isn’t as demanding of a follow-up as other cliffhangers have been, the reality is that Asia and Europe not being linked by players leaves the fan base with a feeling that they haven’t fully completed their mission of re-connecting the world. One or both of the movies could have provided that closure, but neither will, meaning that fans could always end up wondering what could have been.

Elle Fanning is an accomplished live-action actor, so seeing her play Tomorrow in the A24 film would have felt just as natural as seeing Norman Reedus portray Sam in the movie, had an adaptation been the path taken.

That Said, Death Stranding’s Films Being Standalone is Likely the Best Approach

Still, while game fans may have loved to see either the animated movie or A24 film explore Tomorrow’s story and cover what a potential Death Stranding 3 could have, there are obvious upsides to the disconnected approach:

Telling anthology stories with the Death Stranding brand allows for newcomers with no knowledge of the games to give the films a try, potentially growing the fan base of the IP.
Not continuing the story means that potential viewers don’t feel like they have to finish the games before watching the films, as they can just jump in at release.
The animated films can explore different elements of Death Stranding’s deep lore, touching on things that the games only mentioned in passing.
The Death Stranding films can introduce new concepts and characters that are eventually used in a future game, if one ever happens.
Instead of needing to juggle constant tonal shifts like the Death Stranding games do, creatives can hone in on specific elements like the terrifying BTs to stick closely to one genre.

There’s plenty to appreciate about what Kojima Productions is doing with its Death Stranding series, as A24 seems like an ideal filmmaking partner for the studio, and Death Stranding: Mosquito’s art style is genuinely stunning. Still, for those wanting to see all the other continents hooked up to the Chiral Network, or hoping to find out if Tomorrow really is on her own in the flash forward, neither film will be checking off those boxes.

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