Famed director Hideo Kojima has revealed that acclaimed actor Bill Skarsgard will play the lead role in Physint, his long-gestating spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid. Announced on a fresh episode of the Koji 10 radio program, the casting marks another major milestone for the project as it continues its transition from Konami to Physint, which now has a new home at Xbox. Skarsgard, best known for his chilling turn in It and Boy Kills World, was introduced to Kojima through composer Yoann “Woodkid” Lemoine before ultimately accepting the part of the yet-to-be-named protagonist.
The connection between the two men came about through music. Yoann “Woodkid” Lemoine composed the score for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and it was through that professional relationship that Kojima learned of Skarsgard. According to Kojima, a chance visit to the composer’s studio set everything into motion.
An Introduction Through Music
Kojima said he had long admired Skarsgard’s work before their paths finally crossed. “He’s been in some excellent films. Directors I know have worked with him and can’t praise him enough,” Kojima recounted on the new episode of the Koji 10 radio program. “I wanted to work with him for a long time.”
“One day, Bill visited Woodkid’s studio. When Bill went to his studio, he saw piles of Kojima Productions merchandise. He said, ‘What’s this? Why do you have all this?!’ Yoann said, ‘I worked with them,’ and that’s how Yoann introduced us.”
Hideo Kojima
Kojima would later travel to Sweden to meet Skarsgard and his family. It turned out the Swedish actor was already a fan of the Metal Gear franchise, which made pitching him the lead role in Physint an easier sell. Skarsgard accepted the part, officially joining a project that has been shrouded in secrecy since its initial reveal.
A Ready and Eager Cast
It remains early days for Physint, but Kojima says Skarsgard is already itching to begin work on the role. The actor’s face was captured during an early scanning process that Kojima explained is necessary well ahead of production.
“We’ve finished his scan now. We have to scan actors early, because processing the data takes a long time,” Kojima explained. “We’ll film the performance much later. But he’s so eager he doesn’t want to wait. He keeps asking me for the script.”
Hideo Kojima
Kojima noted that Skarsgard wants to know his character’s lines and how they speak, even though the plot has not been shared in full. “He wants to start preparing now. He’s really eager. That’s how deeply he gets into a role,” Kojima said.
The Chemistry With Charlee Fraser
Beyond Skarsgard’s individual talent, Kojima pointed to the actor’s chemistry with fellow Physint cast member Charlee Fraser as a crucial factor in his selection. The recently released poster featuring both actors underscored that dynamic.
“The poster we released the other day showed him with Charlee. Their chemistry is very important,” Kojima added. “We tested their on-screen chemistry and did a camera test. We scanned them in full makeup.” He noted that the actors’ clothing was only for reference, adding, “The contrast between these two is striking.”
Hideo Kojima
Kojima also revealed that Skarsgard kept his involvement entirely under wraps. Even the actor’s parents were unaware he would star in Physint until now.
“He’s so serious; he hadn’t told anyone. It was confidential, of course, since we hadn’t announced it,” Kojima said. “Even his parents didn’t know. That’s impressive. He’s a very conscientious person.”
Hideo Kojima
A Big-Budget Future on Xbox
Physint won’t launch for some time, but Kojima has described it as the “biggest-selling” game that he could possibly create. With a cast including Skarsgard and Charlee Fraser attached, the production is expected to be enormously expensive. Unconfirmed reports have suggested Physint’s budget at Sony exceeded $400 million, though that figure has never been officially verified.
The game’s move to Xbox appears to have eased some of that financial burden. Kojima indicated that Xbox is paying a lot less than Sony would have to get the project over the finish line, signaling a new chapter for both the studio and its flagship title as it heads toward development.
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