Death Stranding: Mosquito (2025) – Kojima Expands His World Into Animation 🎬🦟

"Once you connect, you can never disconnect."

The world of Death Stranding is expanding once more — not through a controller, but through the big screen. On September 23rd, 2025, Kojima Productions officially announced Death Stranding: Mosquito (working title), an animated film project co-produced with ABC Animation.

Directed by Hiroshi Miyamoto and written by Aaron Guzikowski (Raised by Wolves, Prisoners), this new project promises to chart an original and emotionally haunting story within Hideo Kojima’s surreal, otherworldly universe.

🦟 What is Death Stranding: Mosquito?

The announcement teaser sets the tone: an eerie insect drone fades into the mist as black strands crawl across the screen — a metaphor, perhaps, for how even the smallest lifeform can carry cataclysmic weight in Kojima’s world.

Unlike the games, Mosquito will tell a standalone animated story, designed to expand the mythos rather than retread it. Guzikowski, known for weaving high-concept sci-fi with human vulnerability, seems a perfect match for Kojima’s vision.

“The mosquito may be small, but it changes the course of history — much like a single connection in the Death Stranding universe.” — teaser narration

🎮 From Game to Film: The Kojima Legacy

Since its debut in 2019, Death Stranding has captivated over 20 million players worldwide, blending cinematic storytelling with gameplay unlike anything before.

With its unforgettable performances by Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, and Guillermo Del Toro, the game wasn’t just interactive — it was a meditation on connection, isolation, and survival.

The sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, released in June 2025 exclusively for PlayStation 5, added Elle Fanning to the cast and took Sam’s journey to the haunting landscapes of Australia.

Now, with Mosquito, Kojima Productions seeks to expand the franchise into animated cinema, embracing a new medium to deepen its mythos.

🎥 Creative Team

• Director: Hiroshi Miyamoto (ABC Animation)

• Screenplay: Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners, Raised by Wolves)

• Original Concept: Hideo Kojima (Death Stranding)

• Animation Studio: ABC Animation

This collaboration marks the first animated film in the Death Stranding universe, a sign that Kojima’s vision isn’t confined by one medium.

🌍 What to Expect

While plot details are tightly guarded, fans can expect:

• New characters set within the post-apocalyptic framework of the original game.

• A standalone story that reflects Kojima’s theme: connection in the face of despair.

• A distinct animation style — eerie, beautiful, and unsettling, staying true to the idea of finding terror in beauty.

• Potential ties and Easter eggs that connect back to Death Stranding and On the Beach.

The subtitle “Mosquito” suggests an exploration of small disruptions with catastrophic impact — a classic Kojima motif of how minor forces can reshape the fate of worlds.

📅 Release Date

• Project Title: Death Stranding: Mosquito (Working Title)

• Status: In development

• Teaser: Released September 23, 2025

• Format: Animated Film (Hollywood–Japan co-production)

🌟 Final Thoughts

Kojima has always blurred the lines between games, cinema, and art. With Death Stranding: Mosquito, he once again challenges storytelling conventions. If the games asked “Should we have connected?”, the film may ask an even darker question: “What happens when the smallest connection becomes our undoing?”

🦟 Death Stranding: Mosquito is in production now — a bold new step into animation for one of gaming’s most visionary worlds.