Kojima Productions recently unveiled an exciting 10-minute trailer for *Death Stranding 2* at SXSW, showcasing a mix of familiar and new faces. Among the returning stars are Norman Reedus and Lea Seydoux, reprising their roles from the first game. However, the trailer introduces a fresh face: Luca Marinelli. Notably, Marinelli's character seems set to embody a figure reminiscent of Kojima's iconic Solid Snake.
Who is Luca Marinelli playing in Death Stranding 2? ---------------------------------------------------Luca Marinelli plays the character Neil in *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach*. Known predominantly for his roles in Italian cinema, English-speaking audiences may recognize him as Nicky, the immortal mercenary from Netflix's *The Old Guard*. In the trailer, Neil is initially seen in an interrogation room, accused of unspecified crimes by a man in a suit. Neil claims he was only doing the "dirty work" for this individual and seeks to sever their professional ties, but the man insists Neil "has no choice" but to continue working for him.
The scene transitions to Neil conversing with a Bridges employee named Lucy, played by Marinelli's real-life wife, actress Alissa Jung. Their conversation suggests a romantic relationship and reveals that Neil's job involves smuggling cargo—specifically, brain-dead pregnant women.
Wait, brain-dead pregnant women?
A hallmark image from the original *Death Stranding* features Norman Reedus as Sam Porter Bridges with a glowing orange flask containing a baby strapped to his chest. This baby, known as a Bridge Baby (BB), is a seven-month fetus extracted via c-section from a brain-dead mother, existing in a state of limbo between life and death. BBs enable communication with the world of the dead and help detect Beached Things (BTs), malevolent souls causing Voidouts—catastrophic events akin to nuclear explosions.
Before the events of the first game, the US Government conducted experiments on BBs to understand Voidouts. These experiments were officially halted after a BB-related incident destroyed Manhattan and killed the US President. However, secret experiments continued, which explains Neil's smuggling activities for the government, facilitating their illegal research.
Is Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2?
The trailer concludes with Neil tying a bandana around his forehead, strikingly reminiscent of Solid Snake from Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series. While Neil is not actually Solid Snake, the visual echo is intentional. Hideo Kojima's interest in Marinelli was sparked by his performance in The Old Guard and Martin Eden, leading Kojima to remark that Marinelli could be a "spitting image" of Solid Snake with a bandana. This homage is clear in the trailer, but the universes of Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding remain separate.
How Death Stranding 2 connects to Metal Gear Solid
The trailer not only pays homage to Solid Snake but also evokes the themes of Metal Gear. Neil's journey parallels that of Cliff Unger from the first game, both becoming Beached and leading undead soldiers. The narrative emphasizes the resurgence of American gun culture on a "new continent," resonating with Kojima's recurring theme of weapon proliferation and its destabilizing effect on humanity, a central motif in the Metal Gear series. The trailer also hints at a metaphysical connection, suggesting Neil as a sort of "version" of Solid Snake, with his face momentarily turning into a skull, symbolizing a soul trapped between worlds.
Another significant reference to Metal Gear is seen when Heartman merges the DHV Magellan with a colossal BT to create a bio-robotic giant, reminiscent of the Sahalanthropus from Metal Gear Solid 5. The cinematic quality of the trailer also mirrors the epic scope of the Metal Gear Solid 5 Red Band trailer, blending gameplay and cutscenes to highlight Kojima's latest work.
Will there be another Kojima Metal Gear Solid game?
It's evident that Hideo Kojima will not be returning to the *Metal Gear Solid* series following his departure from Konami. Any future *MGS* projects, such as the upcoming *Metal Gear Solid 3* remake, will proceed without his involvement. Nevertheless, the themes and imagery from *Metal Gear* continue to influence Kojima's creative vision, as seen in *Death Stranding 2*. The sequel promises even grander ambitions, with diverse settings and an increased focus on combat, drawing it closer to the feel of a *Metal Gear Solid* game, though under a different name.
