The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sent ripples of excitement through the gaming community, not least because of the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as the character Neil. Fans have been quick to note Neil's striking resemblance to Solid Snake from the *Metal Gear* series, a nod to director Hideo Kojima's iconic past work. Kojima himself has shared insights into the casting process, revealing that finding the right actor to replace the memorable Cliff from the first *Death Stranding* was no small feat. He aimed to surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's performance, a tall order indeed.
Kojima first spotted Marinelli in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and their connection deepened during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In a heartfelt email, Marinelli expressed his admiration for Kojima's work, particularly his beloved *Metal Gear* series, 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 seemed to seal the deal, and after seeing Marinelli in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer to him.
Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots
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The collaboration continued even during the height of the global pandemic, with Marinelli and his wife, Alissa Jung, whom he introduced to Kojima for the role of Lucy, participating in performance capture. Despite the challenges, their performances shone through, as evident in the trailer. Kojima expressed his gratitude, stating, "We did their scan and pcap [performance capture] during the height of the pandemic, but their on-set performance was excellent. 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 trailer, complete with a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake and his leadership of a squad akin to Cliff's role in the first game, has sparked much discussion. The imagery is a clear homage to Kojima's *Metal Gear* legacy, though Neil is unlikely to be a multiversal version of Snake. As Kojima noted back in 2020, "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!"
Death Stranding 2 Cast
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Kojima's focus on Marinelli and the bandanna imagery underscores the care taken in crafting *Death Stranding 2*. For those eager to learn more about Neil and his connection to the *Metal Gear* universe, IGN offers a detailed 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. Fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be another groundbreaking experience from Hideo Kojima.
