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

The latest trailer for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach has sparked significant excitement, 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 that Neil's role was crucial, intended to fill the shoes left by Mads Mikkelsen's character, Cliff, from the first game.

Kojima first noticed Marinelli in the Italian film They Call Me Jeeg and their connection deepened through 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."

Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots

42 ImagesImpressed by Marinelli's performance in The Old Guard, Kojima extended an offer to the actor. After wrapping up The Eight Mountains, Marinelli not only accepted 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, and Kojima praised their dedication, noting, "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 become a focal point of the latest trailer, culminating in a striking scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad of soldiers in a manner similar to Cliff from the original Death Stranding. This visual nod to Kojima's past work with the Metal Gear series has fans buzzing.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

14 ImagesKojima's vision for Neil, including the iconic bandanna, has been in the works since 2020 when he remarked, "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 undeniably connects to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise.

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 slated for release on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5.