Hideo Kojima Says He Cast His Solid Snake-alike for Death Stranding 2 To Try and Surpass Mads Mikkelsen

The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has stirred excitement among fans, particularly with the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character whose appearance and demeanor echo 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 outshine Mads Mikkelsen's performance as Cliff in the original *Death Stranding*.

Kojima first noticed Marinelli 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, 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 personal connection played a significant role in his casting.

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 him. They communicated further after Marinelli finished filming *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the role but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Despite the challenges of the ongoing 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 highlight of the new trailer, culminating in a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad of soldiers in a style similar to Cliff from the first game. This visual nod to Kojima's past work with the Metal Gear series has fans buzzing, though 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 mentioned Marinelli's potential to embody a character reminiscent of Solid Snake. While Neil isn't a multiversal version of Snake, the imagery and style certainly pay homage to Kojima's legacy 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.