Death Stranding 2 Solid Snake Lookalike Explained By Kojima

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Summary

  • Solid Snake isn’t in Death Stranding 2, don’t get your hopes up.
  • Actor Luca Marinelli plays new character Neil in the sequel.
  • Kojima shares behind-the-scenes of casting process for DS

Recently, Hideo Kojima disclosed the launch date for Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and the accompanying trailer held an exciting twist for admirers of Kojima’s work.

If you haven’t caught it yet, I recommend checking it out first, as it seems like an old acquaintance might appear – or so it initially appears. The trailer introduces a new figure named Neil, who bears a striking resemblance to the character Solid Snake from Metal Gear.

Nope, Solid Snake Is Not In Death Stranding 2

Unfortunately, you won’t find Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2. To be honest, the idea is rather far-fetched, so it’s best not to hold your breath on this one.

On Twitter/X, Kojima discussed the choice of actor for Death Stranding 2’s character Neil, who happens to be the talented Italian performer, Luca Marinelli.

Kojima mentions, “Luca Marinelli, our chosen actor for the role of Neil, caught my attention first through his portrayal as the antagonist in the Italian film ‘They Call Me Jeeg,’ titled Fabio Cannizzaro/Zingaro. I was captivated by his exceptional acting in the Japanese release of ‘Martin Eden,’ Jack London’s autobiographical film, which came out in 2020. The movie was fantastic, and I was asked to assist with its promotion upon release. It was during this time that a representative from the Japanese distributor reached out to me. They informed me that Luca had been impressed by my comments and wanted to get in touch with ‘ME,’ so he could express his feelings personally. Not long after, I received an email from Luca himself.

The message states, ‘Growing up, I was a Metal Gear devotee. As it happens, I’m a huge fan of yours. It was truly an honor for me to find out that you watched the movie I was in. I felt compelled to share this with you personally.’

Kojima clarifies that while working on Death Stranding 2 during the pandemic, Neil was a crucial character chosen to replace Cliff from the initial Death Stranding. To ensure fan satisfaction, it was essential that the casting for this role outshine Mads Mikkelsen, who portrayed Cliff in the first game.

Besides confirming his casting selection, Kojima shared that he had also seen Luca in “The Old Guard” on Netflix. Intrigued, he felt Luca was the ideal fit for Neil’s role and promptly extended an offer via email. It appears Luca was engaged in filming “The Eight Mountains (2022)” in Tibet’s mountains at the moment. Whether it’s accurate or not, it seems that Luca had just descended from the mountains where he was working when he received my message, and he expressed, “This has been a profound spiritual journey.

In conclusion, Kojima proposed the concept of Death Stranding 2 to Luca during a Zoom meeting. Later, as Kojima searched for an actress to portray Lucy in DS2, Luca recommended his wife for the part.

During the pandemic, Kojima conducted scans and performance captures. He concluded by expressing gratitude towards the couple for agreeing to perform, despite not having the script at that time.

Check out this intriguing peek backstage as they cast the character stirring up the most debate so far in Death Stranding 2. I sure hope Kojima reveals more info on the rest of the cast soon!

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will be released this June 26 on the PS5.

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2025-03-12 01:09