Hideo Kojima praised Behind the Scenes director Kane Parsons at the film’s Japanese premiere.
The creator of Metal Gear admitted that he envies the 21-year-old director, who achieved cooperation with the A24 studio many times before him.
“Behind the Scenes of Reality” became one of the biggest hits of the season, providing record-breaking summer box office receipts in 2026. Of particular note is the fact that at the time of filming, Parsons was only 20 years old, and he became the youngest director whose debut film topped the box office chart.
Parsons’ journey began with Internet content. He first made animated fan videos for Attack on Titan, and then released a short film on YouTube, The Backrooms, which received 93 million views. A few years later, this series of short films grew into a full-length film, which he directed.
At the Japanese premiere, which was reported by the publication PostmodeKojima talked about the difference between generations and the benefits of meeting digital aesthetics with film.
He’s 21 and I’m 63. But when people who grew up in a digital environment take that digital sensibility and put it on analogue film, I think you see how extraordinary the result can be.
Kojima himself started his career very early, and was asked how close he was to the story of Parsons’ meteoric rise.
I made Metal Gear at 23 – but A24 only contacted me when I was about 59. So it’s a completely different thing, isn’t it?
Honestly, I’m jealous. When I was about 25, there was no A24. It’s a shame they didn’t call.
Kojima is currently working with A24 on a film adaptation of the Death Stranding universe. The director will be Michael Sarnoski, known for the films “Pig” and “A Quiet Place: Day One.” The film’s release date has not yet been announced.
At the same time, Kojima himself recently noted that his interest in cinema does not negate his main priorities, and he would like to continue to focus on creating games.
