Kojima Productions recently unveiled an exciting 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2 at SXSW, captivating fans with a blend of familiar and new faces. While the return of stars like Norman Reedus and Léa Seydoux thrilled the audience, it's the introduction of Luca Marinelli that has stirred significant buzz. Marinelli, portraying the character Neil, not only adds a fresh dynamic to the Death Stranding universe but also evokes a striking resemblance to Kojima's iconic character, Solid Snake, from the Metal Gear Solid series.
Who is Luca Marinelli playing in Death Stranding 2? ---------------------------------------------------Luca Marinelli, an acclaimed Italian actor known for his role as the immortal mercenary Nicky in Netflix's The Old Guard, brings to life the character Neil in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. In the trailer, Neil is initially shown in an intense interrogation, where he's accused of unspecified crimes. He claims to have been merely doing "dirty work" for a mysterious man in a suit, who insists Neil must continue his tasks. This scene transitions to Neil conversing with Lucy, a Bridges employee played by Marinelli's real-life wife, Alissa Jung, hinting at a romantic subplot and revealing Neil's involvement in smuggling brain-dead pregnant women.
Wait, brain-dead pregnant women?
The concept of smuggling brain-dead pregnant women connects deeply with the lore of Death Stranding. In the original game, Sam Porter Bridges, played by Norman Reedus, carries a Bridge Baby (BB) in a glowing orange flask. These BBs, extracted from brain-dead mothers, exist in a liminal state between life and death, enabling them to detect Beached Things (BTs) – malevolent spirits that can trigger catastrophic Voidouts. The trailer suggests Neil's smuggling is linked to the US government's continued, secretive experiments with BBs, despite the official cessation of such research after a devastating incident in Manhattan.
Is Solid Snake in Death Stranding 2?
The trailer concludes with Neil donning a bandana, visually echoing Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series. While Neil is not Solid Snake, the homage to Kojima's previous work is unmistakable. Hideo Kojima's interest in Marinelli was sparked by his performance in The Old Guard, where he noted Marinelli's potential to resemble Solid Snake. This deliberate design choice in the trailer serves as a nod to fans of Kojima's earlier work, bridging the gap between the two universes.
How Death Stranding 2 connects to Metal Gear Solid
The trailer for Death Stranding 2 weaves in numerous references to Metal Gear Solid, beyond Neil's visual similarity to Solid Snake. Neil's transformation into a Beached entity, surrounded by undead soldiers, mirrors themes of gun culture and the proliferation of weapons explored in the Metal Gear series. Additionally, the trailer introduces a bio-robotic giant formed by combining the ship DHV Magellan with a colossal BT, reminiscent of the Sahalanthropus from Metal Gear Solid 5. This fusion of elements from both series underscores Kojima's ongoing exploration of nuclear proliferation and its impact on humanity.
The cinematic quality of the Death Stranding 2 trailer also parallels the epic scope of the Metal Gear Solid 5 Red Band trailer, showcasing Kojima's vision for integrating gameplay and narrative into a seamless experience. The new game promises a broader range of environments and an increased focus on combat, further aligning it with the action-packed nature of Metal Gear Solid.
Will there be another Kojima Metal Gear Solid game?
With Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami, the likelihood of him creating another Metal Gear Solid game is slim. However, the themes and imagery from his previous work continue to influence his new projects. Death Stranding 2 serves as a testament to this, blending elements from Metal Gear Solid into a new narrative while pushing the boundaries of what fans can expect from Kojima's creative universe.
