Death Stranding Cast Includes Loads Of Celebrities

Following the release of a new trailer and confirmation of its release date--it's coming this year--Hideo Kojima's new PS4 game Death Stranding has added another celebrity to its cast. Nicolas Winding Refn, the Danish director of the Ryan Gosling movies Only God Forgives and Drive, will appear in Death Stranding as a character named "Heartman." We've also gotten confirmation on the names of the characters the other members of the cast will play.

Winding Refn had his head, body, and facial expressions 3D-scanned into the game. He doesn't voice the character, however, as a different performer did that. According to Kojima, the same is also true for the Death Stranding character placed by Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo del Toro; although the game features his likeness, del Toro didn't also lend his performance to the game.

The newest trailer for Death Stranding shows off what appears to be the final cast. This includes Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus as Sam, James Bond actors Lea Seydoux and Madds Mikkelsen as Fragile and Cliff, respectively; The Leftovers actress Margaret Qualley plays Mama, while The Last of Us actor Troy Baker portrays Higgs. The Bionic Woman actress Lindsay Wagner plays Amelie, while del Toro plays Deadman.

Death Stranding releases for PS4 on November 8. This and the trailer were shared just ahead of E3, which publisher Sony is not attending this year. As such, any news regarding its first-party games is not expected during the show itself.

The release date was confirmed as part of the aforementioned trailer, which offered a closer look at what to expect from the still-mysterious game. Kojima says it's not a stealth game but hasn't offered a clear explanation. Sony, which is publishing the game, has released a new synopsis. It states:

"Death Stranding is a completely new type of action game, where the goal of the player is to reconnect isolated cities and a fragmented society. It is created so that all elements, including the story and gameplay, are bound together by the theme of the 'Strand' or connection.

"As Sam Porter Bridges, you will attempt to bridge the divides in society, and in doing create new bonds or 'Strands' with other players around the globe. Through your experience playing the game, I hope you'll come to understand the true importance of forging connections with others."

A recent report said Death Stranding could come to PS5, but that has not yet been announced. For now, it will be coming to PS4 only on November 8. Pre-orders are now live, and the game's various special editions--including a $200 collector's edition--has been unveiled.