There is plenty of hype built around Death Stranding 2. The upcoming installment is said to arrive this June. However, recently, a trailer highlighted a new character that fans quickly took an interest in. If you have been following the community online, you probably saw some posts on the character Neil. Luca Marinelli is portraying this new character, and now Hideo Kojima has taken him to X and revealed what drew him to this actor.
Hideo Kojima is a film buff. He enjoys watching movies, and you can see some notable actors brought into his games. However, one of the new arrivals to the game is actor Luca Marinelli, who will play a big role in Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. Famed game designer Kojima noted that he first encountered this actor from the movie They Call Me Jeeg. However, it wouldn’t be until 2020 that he actually got in touch with this actor.
At the start of the pandemic in 2020, Hideo Kojima was asked to help promote Martin Eden, a film that Luca also starred in. During this time, Luca thanked Hideo for promoting the film and spoke about how he personally enjoyed the Metal Gear franchise growing up. That ultimately led to the duo connecting for this game. Hideo has strong faith in Luca’s ability to deliver, as he knows fans would not be satisfied unless the casting surpasses Death Stranding’s Mads Mikkelsen.
Not only did this partnership come during the pandemic, but the pitch also introduced Hideo Kojima to his wife, Alissa, who secured her role as Lucy in this upcoming game. All this came about before Hideo even had a script ready for the couple, so that must have been one thrilling pitch.
At any rate, fans can see if Death Stranding 2 delivers and surpasses the first installment on June 26, 2025. Players interested in the game will find it will be available initially on the PlayStation 5. In the meantime, you can view the latest trailer for Death Stranding 2: One The Beach in the video below. That said, if you didn’t play the first game or if you need a refresher, the upcoming sequel will have a recap.
