Hideo Kojima Defends 2026’s Most Divisive Movie, Likens It to Metal Gear Solid 2

Digger nation has gained another warrior

People can't stop talking about Digger, the latest Tom Cruise film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Depending on who you ask, it is either a bloated and self-aggrandizing mess or one of the most insightful and relevant films in years. Commercially, the film has become a major box office flop, a rarity for star Tom Cruise. Despite all that, legendary artists across mediums continue to speak out in defense of the film, becoming the basis of Digger nation.

That army now includes noted cinephile Hideo Kojima who likens Digger to one of his own controversial works.

The creator of the Metal Gear and Death Stranding series finally posted one of his long posts on X detailing his thoughts on the film, and he had nothing less than praise for Iñárritu's latest. "Digger is a film that all of us living in today’s world should see. It is a work that remains with the audience, provoking reflection and sounding alarms," Kojima wrote. But that's only the beginning, as Gizmodo Japan has published an interview with Kojima and Iñárritu in conversation with each other.

In the conversation, the two artists find an unexpected thread that connects their work. "In 2001, I made a game called Metal Gear Solid 2," Kojima said, via machine translation. "At that time, social media didn't exist yet, but I created a story where social media had a kind of life of its own. That has now become a reality, and it's the same with Digger." Specifically, both Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2 share thematic elements revolving around the proliferation of social media and how it can be used to alter the perception of reality by those in power. Iñárritu added that "We are living in a new reality imposed upon us by things we cannot actually experience. And I think we share that feeling. It's scary, isn't it? Really scary. It's terrifying."

The Metal Gear Solid 2 and Digger connection goes even deeper

While not directly discussed in the interview between Kojima and Iñárritu, Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2 are remarkably alike in how they subvert audience expectations (spoiler warning for both). Trailers for Digger have made it seem like a Dr. Strangelove-esque comedy of errors about the end of the world. While that is partially there, the big reveal that comes early in the film's runtime is that this story is a play being put on. By pulling the rug out from under viewers, Digger reframes itself as something entirely different. It is not just a story about environmentalism and the absurdity of the systems that rule, but also a commentary on the value of art in a world that so often seems hopeless.

Metal Gear Solid 2 features one of gaming's most famous misdirections. While players once again take on the role of Solid Snake in the game's opening mission, they are soon forced to take on the role of newcomer Raiden. From there, the story of Metal Gear Solid 2 continues to deal with fabrications and lies, constantly twisting and turning what the audience thinks it knows on its head. Both of these narrative tricks that Digger and Metal Gear Solid 2 pull feel rooted in Brechtian theater in this way, and both advance larger themes about environmentalism and the fragility of how reality is perceived. Ultimately, both pieces of art also push against the bubble of social media that Kojima and Iñárritu discuss, as they require discussion.