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

The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sent waves through the gaming community, not just for its intriguing gameplay and narrative hints, but also for the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character whose appearance and demeanor echo the iconic Solid Snake from the *Metal Gear* series. Director Hideo Kojima's quest to find an actor who could outshine Mads Mikkelsen's Cliff from the original *Death Stranding* led him to Marinelli, who quickly became a focal point of excitement and speculation among fans.

On X/Twitter, Kojima shared insights into the casting process, revealing that he first noticed Marinelli's talent in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened when Marinelli reached out to Kojima during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*, expressing his admiration for Kojima's work, particularly the *Metal Gear* series. "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," Marinelli wrote in his email to Kojima.

Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots

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Kojima's interest in Marinelli grew after seeing him in *The Old Guard*, leading to an email offer and subsequent discussions once Marinelli finished filming *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the role but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Despite the challenges posed by the height of the pandemic, their performance capture sessions were successful, with Kojima praising their dedication and skill. "We did their scan and pcap [performance capture] during the height of the pandemic, but their on-set performance was excellent. 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," Kojima remarked.

Neil's character has quickly become a highlight of the *Death Stranding 2* trailer, notably for a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake's iconic look from *Metal Gear Solid* and commands a squad of soldiers much like Cliff did in the first game. This nod to Kojima's past work has fueled fan theories and excitement about the potential connections between *Death Stranding 2* and the *Metal Gear* universe.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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Kojima's vision for Neil, including the bandanna imagery, has been in development since at least 2020. "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" Kojima had mused at the time, hinting at the aesthetic and thematic ties to his previous work. While Neil isn't a direct multiversal version of Solid Snake, the visual and narrative connections are undeniable, sparking interest and anticipation among fans eager to see how Kojima weaves these elements into *Death Stranding 2*.

For more insights into Luca Marinelli's role and its implications, 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 for release on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5, promising to deliver another immersive experience from the mind of Hideo Kojima.