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 excitement among fans, particularly with the introduction of a new character, Neil, portrayed by Italian actor Luca Marinelli. The character's resemblance to Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series has been a hot topic, and director Hideo Kojima has shared insights into the casting process on X/Twitter. Kojima explained that Neil was designed to fill the shoes of Cliff from the first game, a role that needed to surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's performance.

Kojima first noticed Marinelli in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and later during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. It was Marinelli's heartfelt email, expressing his admiration for Kojima's work and his upbringing with the *Metal Gear* series, that cemented his potential for the role. "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.

Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots

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After seeing Marinelli in *The Old Guard*, Kojima reached out with an offer and later met with him post-filming *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the role but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. "We did their scan and pcap [performance capture] during the height of the pandemic, but their on-set performance was excellent," Kojima noted, praising their commitment despite the lack of a complete script at the time.

In the trailer, Neil's character stands out, particularly in the closing scenes where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad in a style similar to Cliff from the original *Death Stranding*. This imagery has fans buzzing about Kojima's history with the *Metal Gear* franchise, although it's clear Neil isn't meant to be a direct reincarnation of Snake.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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Kojima has long been intrigued by Marinelli's potential to embody a character with a bandanna, as he mentioned back in 2020: "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" While Neil isn't a multiversal version of Snake, the visual cues certainly pay homage to Kojima's legacy. For a deeper dive into this casting choice 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 scheduled to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively for PlayStation 5.