Death Stranding Creator Hideo Kojima Almost Went With Keanu Reeves Over Mads Mikkelsen

Though Mads obviously got the part, Hideo Kojima mentioned he would love to work with Keanu Reeves in the future!

Mads Mikkelsen took the gaming world by storm when he first debuted his role in his BFF’s upcoming game Death Stranding. Mikkelsen looks absolutely perfect in what we’ve seen thus far in the Walking Simulator 2019 from Hideo Kojima, but it looks like Kojima-san initially had his sights set on someone else – someone that was busy being in Cyberpunk 2077.

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That’s right! Kojima-san has revealed that when looking to cast the role Mikkelsen eventually took on, it was between both Mads and Reeves. Though Kojima-san stands by his choice, he did reveal recently during Tokyo Game Show in an interview with GameSpot that Keanu would have also been perfect. Though it worked out in the end, it looks like the future of a Reeves x Kojima-san working relationship could be bright because he added on during an overheard dinner conversation that he would love to work with the Matrix star in an upcoming project. He also mentioned that didn’t necessarily mean a videogame, but could extend out to a TV series or movie as well! 

 As for the game itself, Death Stranding finally has its release date. The (maybe) PlayStation 4 exclusive officially arrives on November 8th! You can learn even more about the game, including the awesome new collector’s edition, with our previous coverage here! You can also check out the official synopsis below: 

“Sam Bridges must brave a world utterly transformed by the Death Stranding. Carrying the stranded remnants of the future in his hands, Sam embarks on a journey to reunite the shattered world one step at a time. What is the mystery of the Death Stranding? What will Sam discover on the road ahead? A genre-defining gameplay experience holds these answers and more.” 

Would you have liked to see Keanu Reeves have a starring role in Death Stranding, or was Mads the perfect choice? Join us over on Twitter @PrimaGames to tell us what you think about Kojima Productions’ breakout title! 

About the Author

Liana Ruppert

With an arguably unhealthy obsession with Dragon Age and Mass Effect, Liana is wildly passionate about all things in the gaming community. From shooters, to RPGs, if it's out - she's playing it. A medically retired US Sailor and now full-time hoarder of gaming collectibles, Liana's passion for everything in the gaming industry is palpable. Also, if you lose her in a crowd, just casually mention any BioWare game and the crazy pterodactyl screech will without a doubt follow. You can follow her on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy or email her for editorial inquiries at [email protected]!