Mads Mikkelson is one of the celebrities starring in Hideo Kojima’s upcoming Death Stranding. Apparently, the Hannibal and Casino Royale actor wasn’t the first pitch for the role.

Kojima and movie director Nicolas Winding-Refn – Kojima’s friend who also has a part in Death Stranding – revealed more insight at a San Diego Comic-Con panel. Kojima told attendees he was recommended Keanu Reeves (The Matrix), but “I wanted Mads”.

Polish CD Projekt Red has Reeves in their game Cyberpunk 2077, and it would appear the actor is in demand for video game roles. Among other things, he’s starred in John Wick 3, cameo’d in Netflix’s Always Be My Maybe and voiced a new character in Toy Story 4. Reeves’ current filming is for Bill & Ted Face the Music.

The panel also had Kojima talk about Death Stranding, which still remains quite mysterious.

“You’re alone playing as Sam (Norman Reedus); you’re trying to connect city to city. I can’t speak much but everyone will be playing around the world and we’ll have an indirect connection(s). I’m an Otaku and I felt like my teachers and family didn’t understand me. I came to SDCC 10 years ago and met a lot of people like me, so I think that’s what you’ll get from this game.

Other celebrities include Lea Seydoux (James Bond) as Fragile, Margaret Qualey (Once Upon a Time) as Mama, Troy Baker (The Last of Us) as Higgs, Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman) as Amelie and Guillermo del Toro as Deadman.

Pre-orders for Death Stranding are open, with the game set for a November 8 release for PS4 only.

Thanks, Gamespot.