Capcom’s reveal of the Resident Evil 4 remake at Sony’s State of Play has been one of the most exciting announcements at the presentation for survival horror fans. As a fan-favorite entry in the Resident Evil franchise, this remake has a lot to live up to, and fan expectations are high. Notable changes to the game have already come to light; fans of Leon may be disappointed to find that Matthew Mercer, the voice of Leon in RE6 and various Resident Evil movies, will not be reprising his role for the upcoming remake of Resident Evil 4.
Capcom’s remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 have received a lot of praise for retaining the classic survival horror game feel of the original PS1 releases but reimagining them for modern audiences with reworked controls and high-quality voice acting. Resident Evil 4's remake appears to be a darker take on the survival horror classic, potentially reworking its narrative into the current overarching RE storyline, creating a tighter shared universe. In a matter of days, players have already started to pick apart everything about the RE4 trailer and have made multiple requests regarding features and actors they would like to see in the game.
In response to Resident Evil 4’s reveal trailer, many fans took to Twitter to voice their requests for Matthew Mercer to reprise his role as Leon Kennedy. Mercer was the voice of Leon from 2011 through 2016, lending his sarcastic tones for Resident Evil 6 and Revelations 2 along with movie spin-offs including Damnation and Vendetta. Many fans still consider Mercer as the best representation of the character despite him not being the original voice actor for Leon in RE4. Mercer replied to an enthusiastic Twitter post requesting him in the game with an official confirmation that he has no involvement with the project, stating, “Sadly not I, but whomever is carrying the torch, make us all proud.”
While disappointed in the news, many fans are following Mercer’s lead and wishing the best to whoever is in charge of bringing Leon to life in Resident Evil 4. Little is currently known about the cast of voice actors that Capcom has recruited for the remake ; however, recent RE games should indicate who could be involved. The most likely candidate for Leon is Nick Apostolides, who took on the mantle of the iconic R.C.P.D. Rookie for 2019's Resident Evil 2 to much praise. Apostolides has yet to confirm or deny his involvement with the upcoming game.
Enthusiasm is high for Resident Evil 4, and so are fan expectations. Though its recent trailer was brief – only showing a few seconds of reimagined moments from the original game – players have continued to explore every minute detail that Capcom was willing to display. Some eagle-eyed fans have even tracked down Leon’s jacket, which will cost players a staggering amount of money. As fans await the arrival of Resident Evil 4's remake, they are sure to keep every new trailer and bits of information under close inspection to see how much this remake will differ from the original.
Resident Evil 4 will launch March 24, 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Source: Twitter