The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sent waves through the gaming community, especially with the introduction of a character that evokes the spirit of Solid Snake from the iconic Metal Gear series. The buzz around this character, Neil, played by Italian actor Luca Marinelli, is palpable, as director Hideo Kojima aimed to cast someone who could outshine the memorable Cliff from the first *Death Stranding*.
In a detailed post on X/Twitter, Kojima shared his journey to casting Marinelli for the role of Neil. He mentioned that during the global health crisis, he was on the hunt for the perfect actor to fill the shoes of this pivotal character. "Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads," Kojima emphasized, reflecting the high expectations set for this new addition.
Kojima first noticed Marinelli's talent in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened around the Japanese release of *Martin Eden*, where Marinelli reached out with a heartfelt email: "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 helped solidify Marinelli's casting.
Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots
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Kojima's decision was further cemented after seeing Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*. He extended an offer via email and later discussed the role with Marinelli after he finished shooting *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the role but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. "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 character has become a highlight of the latest *Death Stranding 2* trailer, particularly the 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 to Kojima's past work with the Metal Gear series has fans buzzing.
Death Stranding 2 Cast
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Kojima has long been captivated by the image of Marinelli wearing a bandanna, hinting at this vision back in 2020: "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" While Neil isn't a direct reincarnation of Snake, the visual cues are undeniable and pay homage to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise.
For a deeper dive into this intriguing 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 to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5.
