A Death Stranding 2 conversation helped Jared Bush solve a Hexed story problem

A discussion about Death Stranding 2 helped Disney animation boss Jared Bush work through a difficult story point in Hexed, according to Bush’s account of the film’s development. The connection puts Hideo Kojima’s approach to game storytelling behind an unexpected source of inspiration for the animated movie.

As reported by GamesRadar, Bush wrote on Twitter that the team had been struggling with a section of Hexed. Bush, who also co-wrote the movie, said his conversation with Kojima about an approach used in Death Stranding 2 provided the inspiration for a fix.

The specific storytelling connection remains undisclosed

Bush did not identify the troublesome story point or explain which aspect of Death Stranding 2 informed his solution. His account establishes the creative influence, but leaves the actual connection between the game and the movie unexplained.

For players interested in Kojima’s storytelling, that missing detail matters: there is no specific scene, narrative device or game mechanic to compare with Hexed yet. The broader creative takeaway is that a conversation about how a game tells its story can be useful to a filmmaker working through a narrative problem.

Hexed heads to cinemas on November 25

Hexed stars Hailee Steinfeld as a fledgling witch, with a cast that also includes Rashida Jones, Jodie Foster, Walton Goggins, Henry Winkler and Dan Stevens. GamesRadar lists its theatrical release for November 25.

The report also notes an earlier Disney connection for Kojima: he voiced IT officer Paul Moldebrandt in the Japanese dub of Zootopia 2. This time, Bush’s account concerns inspiration drawn from their conversation about making games.