Devil May Cry Anime Producer Confirms Kevin Conroy Was Recorded Before He Passed Away: ‘No AI Used’

This week, Netflix unveiled a new trailer for its upcoming Devil May Cry anime, revealing that the late, legendary voice actor Kevin Conroy will posthumously star in the series. This announcement sparked curiosity among fans about whether AI technology was used to replicate Conroy’s iconic voice. However, the anime's producer, Adi Shankar, swiftly addressed these speculations via a tweet, confirming that Conroy's recordings were completed before his passing in November 2022, and no AI was involved.

"Mr. Conroy gave an amazingly nuanced performance," Shankar stated. "It was both a pleasure and an honor to work with him." Conroy, renowned for voicing Bruce Wayne and Batman across numerous animated films and TV series, lends his voice to the character VP Baines in the Devil May Cry anime. Fans can hear Conroy's voiceover at the beginning of the trailer.

Johnny Yong Bosch, who voices Dante in the series and played Nero in the video games, shared his experience working with Conroy: "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 was previously acclaimed in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths: Part 3 in July 2024. Now, fans have another opportunity to appreciate his talent following his untimely death at the age of 66, two-and-a-half years ago.

The official synopsis from Netflix sets the stage for 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."

Adi Shankar, who also serves as the showrunner, has an impressive portfolio. He is known for his work as an executive producer on the 2012 Judge Dredd reboot film Dredd, the beloved Castlevania anime, and creating Netflix series such as The Guardians of Justice and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon. Shankar is also set to executive produce an adaptation of Assassin’s Creed.

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

The topic of generative AI has been a hot button issue in both the video game and entertainment industries, which have seen significant layoffs recently. Generative AI has faced criticism from fans and creators alike, due to ethical concerns, rights issues, and the challenge of producing content that resonates with audiences.