Death Stranding: Mads Mikkelsen Risks His Life to Talk About Kojima's Game

Mads Mikkelsen may look like a serial killer, but he keeps turning up in all our favorite shows and movies. From Hannibal to Rogue One, the Danish actor always seems to be on hand whenever something awesome is happening. So when we sat down with Mikkelsen to talk about his new Netflix movie, Polar, we couldn’t help but pepper the actor with questions about some of his best former and upcoming roles.

Here’s what Mikkelsen had to say about Death Stranding, Hannibal Season 4, working with Rihanna, and more.

You play a major role in Death Stranding, the upcoming video game from Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima. There’s a lot of mystery around that game and the trailers have all been very confusing. Can you tell me what it’s about?

I’m not allowed. No. He [Kojima] is just keeping his cards close. I mean, I said something last year and I had eight people show up in my house with guns [he’s joking!]. He’s spilling the leaks when it happens.

What I can say is that I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s a genius and it’s beyond anything we can imagine. It’s just a completely different world.

Does that apply to the technical side of the game too? The motion capture technology that’s being used to put you in the game?

The whole thing, the way the story evolves and technique as well.

What about Hannibal. There’s been a lot of talk about Season 4. Are we any closer to that actually happening?

It comes back and forth all the time. I mean I know that people are still behind the scenes trying to get it up and running. Whether it’s going to happen, I don’t know. I know for a fact that everyone who’s been part of the show would gladly join it once again if it does happen, but right now we’re kept in the dark as much as you guys.

You played the evil sorcerer Kaecilius in Dr. Strange and you seemed to have a pretty definitive ending, but do you think your character could come back in a future Marvel movie?

Anything can happen. I think so, but apparently, they don’t. I think that if all the good guys work together and the bad guys work together in one of the films, I could see me in that. I think they need my part, so they better give me a call.

You also starred in the music video for Rihanna’s Bitch Better Have My Money. What was that experience like?

It was quite surreal, to be honest. There was a whole story planned and then we shot 10 percent of it and it was completely rock and roll. She was absolutely wonderful. It ended up being just a feel of a thing, the story was kind of lost.

[Speaking to Polar director Jonas Åkerlund:] If you were working with Mads again on another movie, what role would you cast him in?

Åkerlund: Aleister Crowley. That would be amazing.

Mikkelsen: Let’s do it. You heard it here first.

This interview has been condensed and edited.

Polar hits Netflix on January 25.