Bill Skarsgård Cast as Lead Role in Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT

Kojima, the founder of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, stated in a press release that he is delighted to confirm the casting, noting that he and Skarsgård are long-time fans of one another’s work. According to Kojima, camera tests, scans, and costume fittings involving Skarsgård and co-star Charlee Fraser were conducted earlier this year, providing the creator with tremendous confidence in the project’s direction.

Publishing Shift to Xbox

The announcement follows a recent change in the game’s publishing arrangement. While PHYSINT was previously a PlayStation-exclusive title, eurogamer.net will now publish the game. This shift occurred after Sony reportedly stepped away from the project due to concerns regarding exclusivity, potential profitability, and budget.

PlayStation Drops Hideo Kojima Physint Over Budget and Deadline Issues

The partnership between Xbox and KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS already includes the title OD and extends into film and television to reach broader audiences. During the broadcast, Kojima mentioned spending time in Redmond, Washington, earlier this year with Xbox boss Asha Sharma to discuss digital entertainment and shared goals.

Cast and Production Details

Skarsgård joins an ensemble cast that includes Minami Hamabe, Don Lee, and Charlee Fraser. As part of the reveal, Kojima shared a new poster featuring a photo he personally shot of Skarsgård and Fraser, showcasing the characters’ costumes.

Despite the casting updates, the game remains many years from completion. In 2025, Kojima indicated that the title would not be released for another five or six years. During a 10th anniversary livestream for Kojima Productions, he vaguely described PHYSINT as just the start, leading to speculation regarding the potential for a franchise.

Additional Project Updates

Alongside PHYSINT, Kojima provided updates on OD – KNOCK, a mysterious horror game described as a new type of experience that will test the thresholds of fear. Kojima noted that while the project is proceeding on schedule, performance capture and ADR recording were previously paused due to the SAG-AFTRA strike last year.

Behind-the-scenes footage from OD – KNOCK was shared, featuring performance capture sessions with stars Hunter Schafer and Sophia Lillis, whom Kojima praised for delivering intense and outstanding performances.

About Bill Skarsgård

Skarsgård is widely recognized for playing Pennywise the clown in It (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019), a role he recently reprised as an executive producer and star in the HBO Max prequel series It: Welcome to Derry (2025).

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Hideo Kojima’s Physint: Moving from PlayStation to Xbox

His recent and upcoming film work includes:

• 2026: Dead Man’s Wire (directed by Gus Van Sant) and The Death of Robin Hood (directed by Michael Sarnoski).
• Upcoming: The Mosquito Bowl (directed by Peter Bergs) and Lords of War (directed by Andrew Niccol).
• Previous Credits: John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), The Crow (2024), Nosferatu (2024), Boy Kills World (2023), Barbarian (2022), and The Devil All the Time (2020).