Kevin Conroy 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 late, legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the video game adaptation. This announcement sparked curiosity among fans, with some speculating that AI might have been used to recreate Conroy's iconic voice. However, the anime's producer, Adi Shankar, quickly put those rumors to rest via a tweet, confirming that Conroy's recordings were completed before his passing in November 2022 and that "no AI was used."

Shankar expressed his admiration for Conroy's work, stating, "Mr. Conroy gave an amazingly nuanced performance. It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with him." Conroy, widely recognized and celebrated for his role as Bruce Wayne and Batman in numerous animated films and TV shows, lends his voice to a new character, VP Baines, in the Devil May Cry anime. Fans can hear his voiceover at the beginning of the trailer.

Johnny Yong Bosch, who voices Dante and previously played Nero in the video games, shared his experience working with Conroy, saying, "It was an honor to work alongside Kevin Conroy for the upcoming DMC series. A true legend. Batman: The Animated Series redefined cartoons for me. For those wondering, our recording sessions took place a few years ago — animation takes quite some time to complete."

Conroy's posthumous performance was previously acclaimed in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3 back in July 2024. Now, fans have another opportunity to appreciate his talent following his untimely death two-and-a-half years ago at the age of 66.

According to Netflix's official synopsis, "Devil May Cry follows sinister forces attempting to open a portal between the human and demon realms. At the center 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 also serves as the showrunner for the series, is known for his work as an executive producer on the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot film Dredd, developing the beloved Castlevania anime, and creating 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.

Studio Mir, a renowned South Korean studio known for their work on projects like The Legend of Korra and X-Men ‘97, will be the chief production studio for this new series. Devil May Cry is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 3, 2025.

The topic of generative AI remains a hot button issue within the video game and entertainment industries, which have faced significant layoffs in recent years. Generative AI has drawn criticism from both fans and creators due to ethical concerns, rights issues, and its challenges in producing content that audiences genuinely enjoy.