If you’ve spent any time in the DMC fandom lately, you know things are… complicated. Mention Devil May Cry voice actors in a Discord server and you’ll likely start a three-hour debate about performance capture, "wacky woohoo pizza man" energy, and why the guy who voiced Batman is suddenly in a demon-hunting anime.
Honestly, it’s a lot to keep track of.
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For years, the voices behind Dante, Nero, and Vergil weren't just actors; they were the characters. They did the mo-cap. They helped write the lines. They were the family. But as of 2026, the landscape of the franchise has shifted. With the new Netflix series hitting screens and rumors of a sixth game swirling, the "Old Guard" of the cast is facing its biggest shakeup in two decades.
The Dante Dilemma: From Drew Coombs to the Big Recast
Most people forget that Reuben Langdon wasn't the first Dante. That honor goes to Drew Coombs in the original 2001 game. If you go back and play it, his Dante is way more stoic. Less of a jokester, more of a "I’m here to kill my brother and look cool doing it" type.
Then came the weirdness of Devil May Cry 2. Matthew Kaminsky took over, giving us the quietest, most depressed Dante in history. It didn't stick.
When Reuben Langdon stepped into the red coat for Devil May Cry 3, everything changed. He didn't just provide a voice; he provided a soul. Langdon’s background as a stuntman meant he brought a level of physicality to the motion capture that defined Dante’s cocky, breakdancing combat style. He voiced the character through DMC4, DMC5, and even the Marvel vs. Capcom crossovers.
But here’s the kicker: Langdon is out.
For the 2025/2026 Netflix Devil May Cry anime, Johnny Yong Bosch—who already plays Nero—has stepped into the role of Dante. It’s a move that split the community right down the middle. Some fans feel like it's a betrayal of the legacy, while others pointed to Langdon's controversial public comments on social issues as the reason Capcom and Netflix wanted a clean slate. Whatever your take, the fact is that the voice of the son of Sparda is officially in a state of transition.
Why Johnny Yong Bosch is Pulling Double Duty
It’s rare for a franchise to let one guy voice both the father (or uncle) and the son. But JYB isn't just any voice actor. He’s a legend.
He first joined the family as Nero in Devil May Cry 4. Back then, fans hated Nero. They wanted Dante. Bosch basically had to win over a hostile audience by making Nero's "punk kid with a chip on his shoulder" vibe feel earned. By the time Devil May Cry 5 rolled around, Nero was the favorite.
In the new anime, Bosch plays a younger, scrappier Dante. It's weirdly poetic. You’ve got the guy who saved the franchise with Nero now tasked with redefining the icon. Bosch has been super candid in interviews, mentioning that he actually reached out to Langdon before taking the gig. He’s not trying to replace the history; he’s trying to keep the character alive while the series explores a new medium.
The Vergil Factor: Dan Southworth is the GOAT
If there’s one person in the Devil May Cry voice actors roster who is untouchable, it’s Dan Southworth.
Southworth plays Vergil with a cold, calculated precision that shouldn't be possible for a human being. Like Langdon, he’s a high-level martial artist (you might remember him as the Quantum Ranger from Power Rangers Time Force). When you see Vergil sheath Yamato and the screen shatters, those are Southworth's actual movements.
There was a minor freakout recently when people thought he might be replaced too, especially after the Netflix show cast Robbie Daymond as Vergil. But here’s the nuance: the anime is its own thing. In the games, Southworth is still the motivated king. He even "leaked" (sorta) that he’s always ready for more Vergil, and his recent podcast appearances in late 2025 suggest he hasn't hung up the katana just yet.
The Women of DMC: Consistency is Key
While the leading men are swapping seats, the women of the series have stayed remarkably consistent, which helps ground the world.
- Lady: Originally voiced by Kari Wahlgren in DMC3, the role was taken over by Kate Higgins (credited as Kate Davis) in DMC4 Special Edition and DMC5. She brings a "tired professional" energy that works perfectly against Dante’s chaos.
- Trish: Wendee Lee is the definitive Trish. She also voices Eva (Dante’s mother), which is a nice, creepy touch considering Mundus created Trish to look exactly like her.
- Nico: Faye Kingslee was the breakout star of DMC5. Her Southern-fried, chain-smoking energy was a breath of fresh air.
The Kevin Conroy Legacy
We have to talk about the VP Baines situation. The late, great Kevin Conroy—the definitive voice of Batman—recorded lines for the Devil May Cry anime before he passed away in 2022.
The producer, Adi Shankar, made it very clear in March 2025: No AI was used. They had his recordings in the vault, and hearing him in the 2026 episodes is bittersweet. It’s a massive moment for the franchise to have that level of prestige talent associated with it. It shows that Devil May Cry isn't just a niche "hack and slash" game anymore; it’s a heavy-hitter in the entertainment world.
Where do we go from here?
If you’re a fan trying to make sense of the current cast, here is the "state of the union" for 2026:
- The Anime Cast is Different: Don't expect the game actors in the Netflix show. It’s a different continuity, a different vibe, and a different cast led by Johnny Yong Bosch.
- DMC6 is the Big Question: If Capcom announces Devil May Cry 6, will they bring back the game cast or stick with the anime actors? History suggests Capcom likes to keep the game "Performance Capture" actors separate from "Pure Voice" actors, but the lines are blurring.
- Support the Artists: Whether it’s Brian Hanford (V) or the newcomers, these actors spend months in tight spandex suits with balls glued to them (mo-cap is glamorous, right?) to make these characters feel real.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the official Capcom "Dev 1" social accounts. They usually drop casting news for the games about 18 months before release. If we see Dan Southworth and Johnny Yong Bosch in a studio together this year, you’ll know DMC6 is more than just a pipe dream.
Next Step: Go check out the latest "behind-the-scenes" interviews on the Culturescape YouTube channel. They've been doing deep dives with the legacy cast members like Reuben Langdon and Dan Southworth that explain the "performance capture" process in way more detail than a tweet ever could.