MALAGA, Spain – The atmosphere was electric at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Malaga this past weekend, as San Diego Comic-Con made its first licensed international expansion a resounding success. While the event was packed with panels and previews, one of the biggest crowds gathered for the stars of AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
But just before taking the stage with co-star Melissa McBride, Norman Reedus, the man who brought Daryl Dixon and Death Stranding’s Sam Porter Bridges to life, sat down for an exclusive conversation that quickly shifted from the walker-infested streets of France to the psychologically terrifying halls of Kojima Productions.
In an interview with Gamereactor, Reedus’s enthusiasm was palpable as the topic turned to his friend and collaborator, Hideo Kojima, and the director's enigmatic upcoming horror title, OD.
The game, backed by Xbox Game Studios, was recently thrust back into the spotlight during Kojima Productions' 10th-anniversary livestream, "Beyond The Strand," on September 22. The event featured a chilling new teaser for OD dubbed “KNOCK,” alongside the debut of another anticipated project, the PlayStation-exclusive Physint.
A Stellar and "Interesting" Cast
While Reedus is deeply entrenched in the world of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, his admiration for Kojima's new venture is clear. He immediately highlighted the strength of the cast, specifically naming the legendary actor Udo Kier.
“He’s got a really good cast in that. And Udo is in that right? Udo Kier,” Reedus noted. “So, Udo is an old friend of mine. I did a movie with him ages ago, a John Carpenter film called Masters of Horror. And Udo is one of the most interesting people I think I’ve ever met.”
This connection hints at the kind of intense, character-driven performance Kojima may be seeking for OD, a game that promises to blur the lines between cinema and interactive entertainment.
Decoding the "KNOCK" Teaser: A Descent into Vocal Terror
The conversation then turned to the recently released OD trailer, a unsettling clip that has left the gaming community dissecting every frame. Reedus offered a fascinating piece of insight that adds a new layer of meaning to the haunting footage.
“You know, that thing that was in the trailer where they’re like 'the fluffy pink bunny’ or whatever that is,” Reedus said, referencing the bizarre and repetitive phrases spoken by the actors in the teaser. “That’s actually vocal exercises you do. So when I first saw the trailer, it was just that.”
What appears on the surface as nonsensical or surreal is, in fact, a foundation of actor preparation. However, in the hands of Hideo Kojima, even the mundane becomes menacing.
In his interview with Gamereactor, Reedus elaborated on the trailer's impact: “But there was such an intensity to it. I was like, this is going to be really terrifying. He could read the phone book, and whatever Hideo puts into it is going to be very, very strategically him.”
This statement is a powerful testament to Kojima’s unique directorial vision. It suggests that OD's horror won't rely solely on jump scares or monsters, but on a meticulously crafted atmosphere and the psychological weight imbued in every word, every glance, and every silence.
The Long Road to 2027: A Legacy of Unforgettable Horror
For now, fans have a long wait ahead, with OD not expected to launch until 2027. Key details about the game's gameplay and story remain shrouded in mystery, much to the fascination of the community.
What is known is that Kojima is co-writing the project with Jordan Peele, the Oscar-winning director of Get Out and Nope. This collaboration between a master of game design and a maestro of modern social horror all but guarantees an unforgettable experience.
The description of OD as an immersive, photo-realistic descent into terror has drawn immediate comparisons to P.T., the legendary and tragically canceled PlayStation 4 demo released in 2014. Directed by Kojima and Guillermo del Toro under the alias “7780s Studios,” P.T. redefined interactive horror in less than an hour of gameplay, and its shadow looms large over OD.
If Norman Reedus’s reaction is any indication, Kojima Productions is once again poised to challenge conventions and terrify players on a deeply strategic and personal level. The phone book has never sounded so frightening.
Post a Comment