Kojima Casts Snake-Like Actor for Death Stranding 2, Aims to Outdo Mikkelsen

The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sparked a flurry of excitement among fans, especially with the reveal of a new character that echoes the iconic Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series. This character, Neil, played by Italian actor Luca Marinelli, has become a focal point of discussion. Director Hideo Kojima has shared insights into the casting process, which aimed to surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's role as Cliff in the original *Death Stranding*.

Kojima took to X/Twitter to detail his journey in casting Marinelli for the role of Neil. "During the pandemic, I was casting for DS2," he explained. "Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads." Kojima first noticed Marinelli in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and later connected with him over the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In an email to Kojima, Marinelli expressed his admiration, saying, "I grew up with Metal Gear. I am a big fan of yours. I am very honored that you saw the film I starred in. I wanted to tell you this directly."

Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots

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Impressed by Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*, Kojima reached out with an offer. After wrapping *The Eight Mountains*, Marinelli met with Kojima and, upon learning of the need for an actress to play Lucy, introduced his wife, Alissa Jung, to the project. "We did their scan and pcap [performance capture] during the height of the pandemic, but their on-set performance was excellent," Kojima noted. "You can see that in the digitized results from even the small bits of the trailer. I can only thank Luca and Alissa for agreeing to perform when we didn't even have a script yet."

Neil, portrayed by Marinelli, has emerged as a standout from the latest trailer, culminating in a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad of soldiers in a manner similar to Cliff from the first game. This imagery has not gone unnoticed by fans, as Kojima himself hinted at this connection back in 2020, stating, "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!"

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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While it's clear that Neil isn't a direct incarnation of Solid Snake, the visual parallels are a nod to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise. Fans are eager to see how Marinelli brings this character to life. For a deeper dive into the significance of this casting, check out IGN's feature, "Who Is Kojima’s New ‘Solid Snake’ and Why Death Stranding 2 Looks Like the Closest We’ll Ever Get to Another Metal Gear Solid."

*Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* is slated to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively for PlayStation 5, promising to be a thrilling addition to Kojima's expansive universe.