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 lend his voice to the series. Some fans speculated that AI might have been used to replicate Conroy's iconic voice, but producer Adi Shankar quickly dispelled these rumors via a tweet. Shankar confirmed that Conroy had recorded his lines prior to his passing in November 2022 and emphasized, "no AI used."

Shankar praised Conroy's performance, stating, "Mr. Conroy gave an amazingly nuanced performance. It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with him." Conroy, renowned for voicing Bruce Wayne and Batman in numerous animated projects, takes on the role of VP Baines in the Devil May Cry anime. You can hear his voice at the beginning of the trailer below.

Johnny Yong Bosch, who voices Dante and 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 work has been celebrated before, notably in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3 in July 2024. Now, fans have another opportunity to enjoy his talent following his untimely death at the age of 66, two-and-a-half years ago.

The official synopsis from Netflix describes the series: "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."

Shankar, who also serves as the showrunner, is well-known for his contributions to the entertainment industry, including executive producing the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot, developing the acclaimed 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.

The Devil May Cry anime will be brought to life by Studio Mir, a respected South Korean studio known for their work on projects like The Legend of Korra and X-Men ‘97. The series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 3, 2025.

In the broader context, generative AI remains a contentious issue within the video game and entertainment industries, which have faced significant layoffs. The technology has been criticized for ethical and rights issues, as well as its difficulty in creating content that audiences appreciate.