The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sparked excitement among fans, particularly due to the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character that echoes the iconic Solid Snake from the Metal Gear series. Director Hideo Kojima shared an in-depth account on X/Twitter about the casting process for this pivotal role, which was intended to replace the impact of Cliff from the first game. "During the pandemic, I was casting for DS2," Kojima explained. "Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads."
Kojima first noticed Marinelli through his performance in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened with the Japanese release of *Martin Eden*, leading to an email from Marinelli that read: "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 and Marinelli's admiration for Kojima's work played a significant role in his casting.
Death Stranding 2 - Release Date Trailer Screenshots
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Impressed by Marinelli's work in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer via email and discussed the role with him after he completed filming *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted 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 noted. "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 been a highlight in the latest trailer, where he sports a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake's iconic look and commands a squad of soldiers much like Cliff did in the original *Death Stranding*. This visual homage has fans buzzing, and Kojima himself hinted at this in 2020, saying, "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!"
Death Stranding 2 Cast
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The casting decision and the bandanna imagery are clear nods to Kojima's storied history with the Metal Gear franchise, sparking speculation and excitement about the potential connections between Neil and Solid Snake. While it's unlikely that Neil is a multiversal version of Snake, the similarities are undeniable and thrilling for fans. For more insights, 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 scheduled for release on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5.
