The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has unveiled a wealth of new details, sparking excitement among fans, particularly due to the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil—a character who strikingly echoes the legendary Solid Snake. Director Hideo Kojima has revealed that casting for this pivotal role was no small feat, aiming to surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal of Cliff in the original *Death Stranding*.
On X/Twitter, Kojima shared his casting journey, highlighting how he first noticed Marinelli in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened through the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*, leading to an email exchange where 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
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Impressed by Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer to the actor. Following a conversation after Marinelli finished filming *The Eight Mountains*, the actor agreed to the role. Additionally, Marinelli introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic, their performance capture sessions were highly successful, with Kojima praising their work even from the brief glimpses in the trailer. "We did their scan and pcap [performance capture] during the height of the pandemic, but their on-set performance was excellent," Kojima remarked. "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 introduction in the latest trailer has been a highlight, culminating in a scene where he dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake's iconic look from *Metal Gear Solid*. He then commands a squad of soldiers in a manner similar to Cliff from the first *Death Stranding*, further fueling fans' excitement and speculation about the character's role in the game.
Death Stranding 2 Cast
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Kojima's focus on Marinelli's casting and the bandanna imagery dates back to 2020 when he mused, "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" While Neil isn't a multiversal version of Solid Snake, the visual nod to Kojima's past work with the *Metal Gear* series is unmistakable, adding layers of intrigue to *Death Stranding 2*. Fans can look forward to seeing if Kojima has indeed found the perfect actor to bring Neil to life.
For a deeper dive into the casting 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, and will be available exclusively on PlayStation 5.
