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 casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil—a character whose appearance evokes the iconic Solid Snake from the *Metal Gear* series. Director Hideo Kojima has shared insights into the casting process, emphasizing the importance of finding an actor who could outshine the memorable performance of Mads Mikkelsen as Cliff in the original *Death Stranding*.

Kojima took to X/Twitter to detail how he discovered Marinelli through his acclaimed role in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened when Marinelli reached out after Kojima's involvement in the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In his email, Marinelli expressed his admiration for Kojima's work, 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 extended an offer to him via email. After Marinelli finished filming *The Eight Mountains*, they discussed the role of Neil further. Marinelli also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was subsequently cast as Lucy. Kojima praised their commitment, stating, "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 introduction in the trailer, complete with a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commanding a squad akin to Cliff, has been a highlight for fans. This nod to Kojima's *Metal Gear* legacy is evident, and Marinelli's portrayal is eagerly anticipated. Kojima himself hinted at this connection back in 2020, musing, "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 imagery bridges Kojima's past and present works.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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For more on this topic, explore 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, and will be available exclusively on PlayStation 5.