Kevin Conroy's Voice Recorded for Devil May Cry Anime Before His Death, No AI Involved

This week, Netflix unveiled a new trailer for their upcoming Devil May Cry anime, revealing that the legendary late voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the series. This announcement sparked speculation about the use of AI to recreate Conroy's iconic voice, but the anime's producer, Adi Shankar, quickly dispelled those rumors via a tweet. Shankar confirmed that Conroy's recordings were completed before his passing in November 2022, and emphasized that "no AI was used." He praised Conroy's "amazingly nuanced performance" and expressed the honor and pleasure of working with him.

Conroy, renowned for voicing Bruce Wayne and Batman in numerous animated projects over the years, takes on the role of VP Baines in the Devil May Cry anime. Fans can hear his voice in the trailer's opening. Johnny Yong Bosch, who voices Dante and previously played Nero in the video games, also honored working with Conroy, calling him a "true legend" and noting that their recording sessions occurred years ago due to the lengthy animation process.

In July 2024, Conroy received acclaim for his posthumous performance in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3. Now, fans have another opportunity to experience his work, following his passing at the age of 66, two-and-a-half years ago.

The official synopsis from Netflix describes the series' plot: "Sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck."

Adi Shankar, who serves as the showrunner, is recognized for his contributions to projects like the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot, the acclaimed Castlevania anime, and other Netflix series such as The Guardians of Justice and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon. He is also set to executive produce an adaptation of Assassin’s Creed.

Devil May Cry is being produced by Studio Mir, a prominent South Korean studio known for their work on The Legend of Korra and X-Men ‘97. The series is slated for release on Netflix on April 3, 2025.

The topic of generative AI has been at the forefront of discussions within the video game and entertainment industries, which have faced significant layoffs recently. Generative AI has received criticism due to ethical concerns, rights issues, and its challenges in producing content that audiences enjoy.