The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sparked considerable excitement, especially with the reveal of a new character, Neil, played by Italian actor Luca Marinelli. Director Hideo Kojima shared on X/Twitter the intriguing process behind casting Marinelli, highlighting the actor's striking resemblance to Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series. Kojima aimed to find someone who could surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's character, Cliff, from the first game, making Neil a pivotal role in *Death Stranding 2*.
Kojima discovered Marinelli through his role in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and later connected with him during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In a heartfelt 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." This personal touch played a significant role in the casting process.
Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots
42 Images
Impressed by Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*, Kojima reached out with an offer. The actor accepted after wrapping *The Eight Mountains*, and even introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Despite the challenges posed by the height of the pandemic, both Marinelli and Jung underwent performance capture, delivering exceptional results even without a complete script. Kojima praised their commitment, 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 standout from the trailer, particularly with a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake's iconic look from *Metal Gear Solid*, before leading a squad of soldiers in a manner similar to Cliff from the original *Death Stranding*. This imagery has stirred fans, evoking Kojima's storied legacy with the Metal Gear franchise.
Death Stranding 2 Cast
14 Images
Kojima has long been intrigued by Marinelli's potential to embody a character with a bandanna, previously stating 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, his design and actions certainly nod to Kojima's iconic work. Fans are eager to see if Marinelli can meet the high expectations set by Kojima's vision.
For a deeper dive into Neil's character and the 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 scheduled to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5, promising an exciting continuation of the franchise.
