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

The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has stirred excitement among fans, particularly due to the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character whose appearance and demeanor evoke the iconic Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series. Director Hideo Kojima shared insights into the casting process on X/Twitter, revealing the lengths he went to find an actor who could surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's Cliff from the original *Death Stranding*.

Kojima first noticed Marinelli in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and later engaged with him during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In a heartfelt email, Marinelli expressed his admiration for Kojima's work, stating, "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." This connection led to Marinelli's casting as Neil, a pivotal role intended to fill the void left by Cliff in the first game.

Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots

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After witnessing Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer to the actor. Following the completion of *The Eight Mountains*, Marinelli accepted the role and introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, both actors underwent performance capture, delivering exceptional performances that are evident even in the brief glimpses shown in the trailer. Kojima expressed gratitude for their commitment, noting, "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."

Neil's character has quickly become a highlight of the *Death Stranding 2* trailer, especially with his striking resemblance to Solid Snake as he dons a bandanna and commands a squad of soldiers, reminiscent of Cliff's role in the first game. This visual nod to Kojima's past work with the Metal Gear series has fans buzzing, though it's clear Neil is not a direct reincarnation of Snake but rather a new character with familiar echoes.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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Kojima's vision for Neil, including the iconic bandanna, has been in development since 2020, when he first remarked on Marinelli's potential to embody a character reminiscent of Solid Snake. While Neil isn't a multiversal version of Snake, the imagery and casting choices pay homage to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise. Fans can look forward to seeing how this new character fits into the expansive world of *Death Stranding 2*.

For a deeper dive into Neil's character and the game's connections to Metal Gear, 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.