Backrooms has finally been released in Japanese cinemas, many months after its initial release in the United States, and Hideo Kojima has been notably involved in the film’s rollout for its release in the country. Alongside sharing a comment about the film for promotional posters, the Death Stranding creator recently participated in a joint Q&A session with director Kane Parsons where he discussed his admiration for the film and hinted at the possibility of the pair working together in the future.
Even beyond Kojima’s encyclopedic cinema knowledge, it’s not necessarily surprising that the game designer would be involved in the film’s release in Japan. Though a third-party company is distributing the film in the country, it was produced by A24, the same company with which he is working to create a film of his own. As reported by Japanese entertainment news site Eiga Natalie, when the pair spoke shortly following a screening of the film in Roppongi, Tokyo, Kojima admitted his admiration of the mystery and dread Parsons created in the Backrooms.
“I’d already seen the Backrooms short film, so I had been curious for a long time about what sort of film this would turn out to be,” Kojima noted during the screening on September 4th. “The movie is full of clever tricks, and its art and sound direction are so inspired, it honestly makes me a little jealous! I don’t want to give too much away because of spoilers, but I also find the structure of the story fascinating as well, the visual design and sound is so well-incorporated, I can hardly compete with such talent!”
Thank you to Kane Parsons and Risa Unai for the Japanese premiere stage greeting for “Backrooms”! 🙏🙇🏻😍🫶 With Kane Parsons, Risa Unai, Yanpi, and Emma Iggo. What did everyone think of the movie? pic.twitter.com/SC4ec4YfLi
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 4, 2026
Amusingly, while the film was rated R in US cinemas and given high ratings in most other countries, the film has a G rating in Japan, making it unrestricted for all ages. The screening Kojima attended included many parents with young children, and after the lights rose, he heard kids crying to their parents that they may not sleep that night. Recalling the experience on Twitter, Kojima said, “A little boy bombarded his father with questions: ‘The Backrooms are so huge. How did they make them? It has to be CG, right?’ When his father didn’t answer, I almost leaned over and said, ‘It’s all sets,’ but stopped myself.”
With director Kane Parsons. pic.twitter.com/LpOT9YGgZK
— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) September 4, 2026
It’s amusing to see the pair collaborate for this Q&A event to celebrate the film’s release in Japan, but we know the drill. Kojima has developed a habit of collecting the film stars and directors he respects as if they’re Pokémon he can later feature in his projects in some form, and this was likely no exception. Just before the screening, Parsons was photographed, like many before him, at the entrance to Kojima Productions. During the Roppongi Q&A, Parsons said that this may not be their last time crossing paths. “I’d love to collaborate with a certain someone in the near future,” he stated after discussing his admiration for Japanese architecture and other things he appreciated during his trip to the country.
Backrooms has been a phenomenon, and considering its online roots, the dread it establishes in its liminal spaces, and the way it was made, it should be no surprise Hideo Kojima has taken a liking to it. While we’ll have to wait and see if anything comes of it, a collaboration between the pair sure would be something.