Summary
- Hideo Kojima said he wants Luca Marinelli’s role in Death Stranding 2 to surpass Mads Mikkelsen’s character from the first game.
- Marinelli’s character, Neil, can be seen sporting gear similar to Solid Snake in the newest trailer for the sequel.
- Neil plays a similar role to Cliff Unger in Death Stranding 2, though it remains to be seen what his goals are.
Hideo Kojima recently spoke up about how he wanted one particular Death Stranding 2: On the Beach casting choice to surpass Mads Mikkelsen’s Cliff Unger from the first game. Kojima and the cast of Death Stranding 2 were present at this week’s SXSW in Austin, Texas to answer fan questions and show off more footage from the upcoming sequel. It was here that gamers finally learned Death Stranding 2’s release date and saw more of the game’s characters.
One character in particular caught the eye of many old-school fans of Kojima and his work. Neil is a mysterious figure with unknown ties to the Bridges organization, played by Italian actor Luca Marinelli. Towards the end of the recent Death Stranding 2 trailer, Neil is shown sporting a headband and tactical gear almost identical to those worn by Metal Gear Solid protagonist Solid Snake. Even Kojima himself took note of Marinelli’s resemblance to the legendary super spy, with a past social media post stating that the actor would be the “spitting image” of Snake should he ever wear his iconic headband.
Related
Why Pacific Rim Fans Should Keep an Eye on Death Stranding 2
Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 SXSW panel brought a deeper look into the sequel, and one feature is perfect for Pacific Rim fans.
Kojima shed more insight into how he met and eventually cast Marinelli in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach in a lengthy Twitter post, saying that he first saw the actor in the Italian film They Call Me Jeeg. He would be further impressed with Marinelli’s performance in the Jack London autobiographical film Martin Eden, which would lead to him and Marinelli coming into contact. Kojima revealed he started casting for Death Stranding 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and ultimately decided that Marinelli would be “perfect” for the role of Neil after watching him in The Old Guard.
Kojima Wanted Luca Marinelli’s Death Stranding 2 Role to ‘Surpass’ Mads Mikkelsen
Luca Marinelli was already a fan of the Metal Gear series and once told Hideo Kojima that he was “honored” that the legendary game creator watched and enjoyed his movies. Kojima says that he wanted the character of Neil to “surpass” Mads Mikkelsen’s Cliff Unger from the first Death Stranding game, as the two characters have similar roles. “Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads.”
Neil would be an important role that replaces Cliff from DS1. The fans would not be satisfied unless the casting would surpass Mads.
Cliff served as a secondary antagonist in the original Death Stranding, albeit one with a tragic backstory that tied deeply into the past of main character Sam Porter Bridges. Sure enough, Neil can be seen leading a small squadron of undead soldiers in the new Death Stranding 2 trailer, not unlike the squad Cliff commanded in the previous game. More details about Neil, his goals, and his apparent ties to Bridges could be hinted at during the build-up to Death Stranding 2’s release on June 26.
- Released
-
June 26, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Violence, Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Strong Language
- Publisher(s)
-
Sony Interactive Entertainment