The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has fans buzzing, especially with the introduction of a new character that exudes a strong Solid Snake vibe from the Metal Gear series. Director Hideo Kojima took to X/Twitter to share insights into the casting process for Italian actor Luca Marinelli, who will play the pivotal role of Neil in the sequel. Kojima emphasized the importance of Neil's character, aiming to replace the impact of Cliff from the first *Death Stranding*. He stated, "During the pandemic, I was casting for DS2. Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads."
Kojima discovered Marinelli through his performance in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened around the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*, leading to a direct correspondence. Marinelli expressed his admiration in an email, 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." This connection paved the way for Marinelli's casting.
Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots
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Impressed by Marinelli's work in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer via email and met with him after the filming of *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the role but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Kojima praised their commitment, saying, "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 become a focal point of excitement from the trailer, culminating in a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad in a manner similar to Cliff from the original game. This visual nod has stirred speculation about the connection to Kojima's iconic Metal Gear series.
Death Stranding 2 Cast
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Kojima's vision for Marinelli as Neil has been long in the making, as evidenced by his earlier comments in 2020: "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" While Neil isn't likely to be a multiversal version of Snake, the imagery certainly evokes Kojima's storied past with the Metal Gear franchise. It remains to be seen if Marinelli can live up to the high expectations set by Kojima and the fans.
For more in-depth analysis, 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 to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5.
