Hideo Kojima Casts Solid Snake Lookalike for Death Stranding 2, Aims to Outdo Mads Mikkelsen

The latest trailer for *Death Stranding 2: On the Beach* has sparked significant buzz, particularly due to the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil, a character who exudes a distinctly Solid Snake-esque vibe. Director Hideo Kojima shared insights into the casting process on X/Twitter, revealing the lengths he went to find an actor who could surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's portrayal of Cliff in the original *Death Stranding*.

Kojima first noticed Marinelli through his role in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg*. Their connection deepened during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*, leading to a direct correspondence. In an email to Kojima, Marinelli expressed his admiration: "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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After seeing Marinelli in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer via email. They discussed the role further after Marinelli finished filming *The Eight Mountains*. Marinelli not only accepted the part but also introduced Kojima to his wife, Alissa Jung, who was cast as Lucy. The performance capture was conducted during the peak of the pandemic, and Kojima praised their work: "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, portrayed by Marinelli, has quickly become a highlight of the *Death Stranding 2* trailer. The trailer concludes with Neil donning a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake from *Metal Gear Solid* and commanding a squad of soldiers in a style similar to Cliff from the first game.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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The casting decision and the imagery of Luca Marinelli wearing the bandanna have been on Kojima's mind since 2020, when he noted, "I think if he donned a bandanna, he'd be a spitting image of Solid Snake!" While Neil isn't a multiversal version of Snake, the visual parallels to Kojima's *Metal Gear* legacy are undeniable. Hopefully, Marinelli is the perfect fit for the role.

For further 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 slated to launch on June 26, 2025, exclusively on PlayStation 5.