This week, a new trailer for Netflix’s Devil May Cry anime revealed the legendary late voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the video game adaptation. This led some to wonder whether AI had been used to recreate Conroy’s iconic voice. Not so, the anime’s producer has confirmed.
In a tweet, producer Adi Shankar said Conroy was recorded before he passed away in November 2022, and confirmed “no AI used.”
“Mr. Conroy gave it [sic] amazingly nuanced performance,” Shankar continued. “It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with him.”
Conroy, who is best known and celebrated as the longtime voice of Bruce Wayne and Batman in the many animated films and TV shows that have focused on the character over the years, stars in the Devil May Cry anime as VP Baines, a new character that can be heard in voiceover at the beginning of the trailer, below.
Dante voice actor Johnny Yong Bosch, who played Nero in the video games, added: “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.”
Back in July 2024, Conroy was praised for his posthumous voice performance in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3. Now, fans have another chance to experience his work after his untimely passing two-and-a-half years ago at the age of 66.
According to the official synopsis provided by Netflix, “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 also serves as showrunner for the series. He is known for his work as executive producer on the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot film Dredd, developing the much-loved Castlevania anime, and creating Netflix series such as The Guardians of Justice and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon. He is also slated to executive produce an adaptation of Assassin’s Creed.
Studio Mir, a well-established South Korean studio known for their work on popular projects like The Legend of Korra and X-Men ‘97, will serve as the chief production studio on this new series. Devil May Cry will be released on Netflix on April 3, 2025.
Generative AI is one of the hottest topics within the video game and entertainment industries, which have both suffered massive layoffs in recent years. Generative AI thus far has drawn criticism from fans and creators due to a mix of ethical issues, rights issues, and AI’s struggles to produce content audiences actually enjoy.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
