Summary
The Game Awards 2023’s announcement that Jordan Peele was collaborating with Hideo Kojima on his next gameODfeels eerily similar to the developer’s last team-up with Guillermo del Toro, potentially suggesting that Kojima Productions is striving for Hollywood-level cinematic experiences. Though there have been plenty of rumors surrounding Kojima’s upcoming games, such asKeanu Reeves featuring inDeath Stranding 2, it should have been expected that Peele would be working onODafter he appeared on Kojima’s podcast and expressed interest in game development. This would mean that all three games by Kojima since his departure from Konami have had ties with prominent and popular filmmakers.
After initially collaborating onPTwith the presumption that he would further go on to develop the since-canceledSilent Hills, Guillermo del Toro continued to work withKojima Productionswhen he featured as Deadman inDeath Stranding. But while this arguably conciliatory role ensures that del Toro would always remain a part ofDeath Strandingand its upcoming sequel, it did result in any plans forSilent Hillsbeing lost in the process. However, withOD’s presentation at The Game Awards 2023 hinting at influences fromPT,it seems that Kojima’s original aim for his and del Toro’sSilent Hillsis now being channeled through Peele’s collaboration instead.
Exploring Kojima’s Collaborations With del Toro and Peele
Kojima and del Toro, Silent Hills and Death Stranding
Since their short-lived collaboration began with the prospectiveSilent Hills, comparisons between the broaderSilent Hillseries andDeath Strandingwere inevitable, as del Toro continued to play a part in Kojima’s new game following his exit from Konami. Though del Toro clarified that his new role inDeath Strandingwould have him nowhere near as involved as he was onPT, it does seem that Kojima had still been influenced by the filmmaker, with ideas and concepts appearing to have been carried over fromSilent Hills. For instance, the themes of human connection and isolation throughoutDeath Stranding’s new “strand” genrestrongly reflect del Toro’s own work exploring the human condition.
But years afterDeath Stranding’s release, del Toro was still showing his appreciation for the Konamiseries when hename-droppedSilent Hillduring The Game Awards 2021. As this continues to be a sore spot for both Kojima and del Toro after the pair took to social media duringPT’s eighth anniversary, del Toro’s frustration seems to suggest that there is still undelivered potential behindSilent Hills. So, whileDeath Strandingmight have briefly brought Kojima and del Toro together, the shadow ofSilent Hillsstill seems to linger as a reminder to both of them, as well asPTplayers, of what the canceled game could have been.
Moving From del Toro and Silent Hills to Peele and OD
Given that Peele brings the reputation of a well-known film director between both horror and Hollywood, he is already an ideal choice for another of Kojima’s collaborations. But considering howKojima presentedODat The Game Awards 2023with potential references toPT, it seems that this upcoming collaboration with Peele will instead be picking up whereSilent Hillsleft off. It’s possible then that whileODstill needed a cinematic vision that had originally been intended for del Toro’sSilent Hills, the shift in creative collaboration could provide Kojima with the opportunity to get a fresh perspective on direction through Peele.
With this in mind,ODwill likely take a different approach as a possible spiritual successor toSilent Hills, and Peele’s experience in psychological horror would hopefully be what drives this approach. This could see influences from Peele’s other work being felt, with a possible connection being howNopewas about “addiction to spectacle” and howODhad been dubbedProject Overdosebefore its announcement. As a result, while this collaboration with Peele could create a wildly different cinematic experience from the mind of Kojima, it remains to be seen whether any of del Toro’s ideas fromPTandSilent Hillscarry over intoOD.
