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 discussed the role 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, saying, "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 *Death Stranding 2* trailer, especially with the striking scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and commands a squad of soldiers, echoing Cliff's role in the first game. This visual nod to Kojima's past work with the Metal Gear series has fans buzzing about the potential connections and the legacy of these iconic characters.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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Kojima's vision for Neil, including the bandanna imagery, has been in development 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 direct multiversal version of Snake, the visual cues are a clear homage to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise. Fans are eager to see if Marinelli can live up to the high expectations set by this casting choice.

For a deeper dive into the character and the game's 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 slated for release on June 26, 2025, and will be available exclusively on PlayStation 5.