Summary
Bungie has confirmed that the new voice of actor forDestiny 2’s Commander Zavala will be Hollywood veteran Keith David. This comes after thetragic passing of Lance Reddick, who was the previous voice actor for Zavala inDestiny 2.
Commander Zavala is a central figure inDestiny 2, serving as the leader of the Vanguard. Lance Reddick took up the mantle of playing the righteous Commander whenDestinywas released in 2014, and quickly became a fan-favorite owing to his exceptional performance and resonant voice. Upon hearing about his untimely death, the community mournedReddick’s passing by gathering inDestiny 2to pay their respects to the iconic actor. While the community was still processing this loss, there was no official confirmation about Zavala’s voice actor being recast, but it seems that Bungie has decided to pass the mantle over to a new artist after all.
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In an official announcement, Bungie revealed its decision to cast Keith David as the new voice actor for Zavala inDestiny 2. Bungie mentioned how Reddick’s “iconic voice” guided theDestinyfranchise over the years and that his impact will never be forgotten by the community. The developer also acknowledged Zavala’s importance to the game’s story that it plans to continue, which is why Keith David was cast in this role. David also addressed this announcement and said, “I am honored to continue the great work of Lance Reddick as Zavala. Lance captured the character’s sense of integrity so wonderfully. It is my intention to continue that work.” Along with this, Bungie also confirmed that Reddick’s voice lines as Commander Zavala will remain intact for the upcoming releases to preserve his legacy.
Keith David already has experience with voice acting in the gaming industry as he has lent his voice to many iconic characters over the years. For instance, he played David Anderson in all threeMass Effectgames, voicedSpawn inMortal Kombat 11, and played Vice President Keith David inSaints Row 4. Interestingly, Bungie and Keith David have already worked together in the past as David was the voice actor for Arbiter Thel ‘Vadam inHalo 2and 3. David is known for his deep voice which players believe would be the ideal choice for Commander Zavala.
The news of this recast also hints towards the future of the game. The post mentions that David will continue the role of Zavala inDestiny 2The Final Shapeand beyond, which possibly means that Zavala will play a vital role in the Guardians’ upcoming battle against the Witness and won’t be written out of the game’s story.
Destiny 2is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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