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 unveiled a wealth of new details, stirring excitement among fans, especially with the casting of Italian actor Luca Marinelli as Neil—a character whose appearance evokes the iconic Solid Snake from the *Metal Gear* series. Director Hideo Kojima has shared insights into the casting process, revealing his ambition to surpass the impact of Mads Mikkelsen's character, Cliff, from the original *Death Stranding*.

On X/Twitter, Kojima detailed his journey to cast Marinelli for the pivotal role of Neil. "During the pandemic, I was casting for DS2," he 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 in the Italian film *They Call Me Jeeg* and later connected with him during the Japanese distribution of *Martin Eden*. In a heartfelt email, Marinelli expressed his admiration for Kojima's work, stating, "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 witnessing Marinelli's performance in *The Old Guard*, Kojima extended an offer via email and had discussions with him post-filming *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, portrayed by Marinelli, has become one of the standout reveals from the *Death Stranding 2* trailer. In a memorable scene, Neil dons a bandanna reminiscent of Solid Snake's iconic look from *Metal Gear Solid* and commands a squad of soldiers in a manner similar to Cliff from the first game.

Death Stranding 2 Cast

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Kojima's vision for Marinelli's character has been in development for some time, as evidenced by his earlier comments in 2020: "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 cues certainly nod to Kojima's storied history with the *Metal Gear* franchise. Fans are hopeful that Kojima has indeed chosen the perfect actor for this role. For a deeper dive, 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 for release on June 26, 2025, and will be available exclusively on PlayStation 5.