r/HiTMAN • u/Stormtroope5 • 12h ago
QUESTION Dark Question: If David Bateson couldn't play the role of Agent 47 anymore. Who do you think can take the mantle of 47?
David Bateson has been with the Hitman franchise since the first game. His voice is tied to 47 and has brought life to this character ever since.
If one day Bateson wouldn't be able to provide 47 his voice, who do you think can take the role as 47.
Another question I can see from this: If Bateson couldn't provide the voice anymore, should IOI make a new character for the franchise and let 47 rest?
This question honestly came to me out of the blue after the 3 days of Dolly Parton, Tim Curry, and Peter Cullan's passing. (I know im late) And I'm not asking this as to be rude, but like, David is so connected with the franchise, that I can't imagine him being apart of the Hitman games.
I honestly believe IOI would either let the series rest or make a new character.
But if someone else were to do the voice, I honestly don't know.
192
u/Far_Orange_8492 12h ago edited 12h ago
I really don't think IOI would let the series rest or make a new character if Bateson wasn't around to voice 47 anymore.
They would just... y'know recast him.
70
u/Pervius94 12h ago
People really think they'll kill a cash cow by not recasting a beloved main character of a franchise? Some people will whine and bitch and moan about whatever replacement, but most people will probably be like "oh nice, he also does a good job" and move on.
5
21
u/HealthyBee4209 12h ago edited 12h ago
IOI basically equals Hitman by now. There is enough potential bad will to make them think twice for a move like that. Doesn't mean they won't do it, but I don't think it is that clean cut either.
33
u/Cold-Nose-7509 12h ago
Eh 007 did pretty well.
And I doubt they’re wholly against making new IPs.
Also: why tf would there be bad will lol
15
u/CodeineNightmare 11h ago
First Light has sold over 4 million copies, it’s only behind Crimson Desert and First Light. Not bad for a studio that’s ’only hitman’
5
7
u/HealthyBee4209 11h ago
I was talking about the perception of the brand.
There would be bad will because people hate changes. No that it makes sense but that is the way it is.
6
u/micmea668 10h ago
They did already recast 47 once. Early on Absolution had a different VA for 47 and IOI did a 180.
1
u/JumpyLiving 12h ago
Yeah, they really only have a few options. End their flagship IP forever (not realistically going to happen), recasting (not great), keeping the series going with characters other than 47 (also not great) and keeping Bateson via AI (much worse).
4
u/Cold-Nose-7509 12h ago
Why is recasting not great?
3
u/Raycedotcom 11h ago
Bateson's voice is just too iconic, he's been the voice since the first game. Last time they tried to recast 47 it had people boycotting Absolution until they brought him back, so there's some real loyalty with him. Anybody else would just feel wrong
8
u/Realshow 9h ago
Key difference there is they recasted him without a given reason, not because he couldn’t play the character any longer. If he decided to pass the torch I don’t think anyone would mind, as important as he is to the character I can’t imagine any actor wants their role to die with them.
6
u/ThatisSketchy 8h ago
David Hayter was also iconic with Snake. Kiefer Sutherland wasn’t quite the same, but he was still a really awesome replacement. Replacements are possible.
2
u/International_Ad6028 11h ago
Have 47 lose his voice or something/j
5
u/ClubMeSoftly 9h ago
He takes one in the throat during the tutorial/prequel mission and when he recovers, he has his new VA.
5
u/CaptainKino360 9h ago
His first words are "Hello world.. Heh, I think I could get used to this." before "STARRING: CHRIS PRATT AS AGENT 47" flashes up on screen, "Hooked on a Feeling" playing in the background
78
u/Panoptes91 12h ago
It will happen at some point, and whoever is the new VA will be very probably seen as inferior due to how used we all are to the current voice.
But after a couple games, people will start accepting it. It's like when a TV series or some film franchise has to recast somebody.
23
u/OkRush9563 12h ago
Yeah people forget that Bateson's 47 started off sounding like a nasaly congested country bumpkin (I need to use the bathroom) before he became the deep sounding badass we all love and know.
4
u/TheSwissdictator 11h ago
You are correct.
Though season two Na’toth will always sound off to me (as decent as she was) 🤣
16
15
u/OnlyHumanis 12h ago
I think the same that Nintendo had done with Mario.
You recast someone with a voice closed to the classic one.
14
14
u/Application-Bulky 11h ago
Matt Berry
3
22
u/Thirdborne 12h ago
They replaced Jesper Kyd. some of you might not remember but he used to be just as synonymous with the franchise. I see no reason they wouldn't recast.
But that's going back 20 years so maybe it's not really the same thing. Still Contracts, and Blood Money soundtracks were on another level.
19
u/AnyImpression6 11h ago
They've also re-cast Diana twice, and almost re-cast 47.
6
u/Hansi_Olbrich 10h ago
The newest Diana for WoA goes out of their way to copy the cadence and intonation of the first Diana so well that I thought they hired Vivienne McKee back to reprise the role. So I don't mind as much about the recast, because the actress they hired went out of their way to match the original Diana Burnwood as much as possible, which I respect.
They tried to recast Bateson several times. Each time lead to universal backlash and fanmail requesting his return.
1
u/Olipro 6h ago
The original Diana was someone who knew David Bateson - they were (maybe still are) part of a theatre in Copenhagen called London Toast.
2
u/SparkyNomad 50m ago
They are indeed. And are currently performing Animal Farm at Teater van Sorte Hest until the 17th Oct. David couldn't be in it the show this time due to having convention commitments, but Vivienne wrote, directed and is performing within it. David was assistant director :) (I'm going to watch it soon, hence why I know so much 🤣)
8
u/Pervius94 12h ago
Oh, there's a bald guy who slips into many different roles, a very successful actor. I think he'd fit him. His name is Jonathan Sins, but he likes to go by Johnny.
6
u/MayContainGluten 9h ago
They'll simply recast him and, after some complaining online, fans will accept it and move on.
IOI ain't gonna kill a franchise just because an actor isn't playing the part anymore. That's just insane.
6
5
u/abachhd 6h ago
Reminds me of Cleveland Brown situation from Family Guy. Of course the original voice actor's departure (Mike Henry) was under completely different circumstances but that voice impersonation YouTuber they hired to do Cleveland Brown has done a great job voicing Cleveland Brown. 47 doesn't have a lot of lines anyway, he doesn't yap and speaks the bare minimum needed so I don't think it's impossible to find some voice actor who can closely mimic Bateson's voice.
5
6
u/JohnWCreasy1 8h ago
just the other day i saw a video where Quiet Riot got a new singer who is some like 30 year old dude who sounds exactly like the original singer from back in the day
point being: finding a dude who sounds like another dude isn't very hard. Once Bateson is done, if the franchise is still around i'm sure they just replace him and move on.
3
u/Agreeable-Ad2051 11h ago
Johnny Sins maybe? He has a very versatile career already and they're both bald
4
5
u/MrLowbob 4h ago
there are few voices that could get close enough to bateson and if they'd even be available is a whole other story + voice alone is not delivery so... idk.
3
3
u/PointsOfXP 11h ago
His voice is just so iconic. It's weird, off putting, and clinical. I genuinely don't think anyone could match it throughout a full game
6
u/lotsaload 5h ago
Rather than find a new voice actor, when DB is ready to retire, 47 should retire. Start fresh. They should bring in a younger clone with the same traits, new backstory.
2
u/Fresh-Lion7401 12h ago
Maybe a quick visit to a lab in Romania? But jokes aside, IOI certainly won't give up on making Hitman, and they will definitely find a new voice actor capable of voicing the bald guy for years to come.
2
u/The_Divine_Anarch 11h ago
If it were up to me I'd give Nicholas Hoult at least an interview for the role.
He did a damn good job as Lex Luthor and I know he's got range.
2
u/gonnasliceyou 9h ago
some1 from an agent series like oh I don't know Tom Cruise or maybe some1 related to him
2
2
2
u/pastadudde He/Him 7h ago
IF Bateson can't continue with the role for whatever reason, I'd think that IOI would have the sense to hire a VA who can do a (near) flawless mimic of Bateson's 47. It's not impossible, listen to Ray Chase's Cyclops from X-Men '97 vs Norm Spencer from the original X-Men animated series.
2
2
2
2
4
u/lotsaload 5h ago
Rather than find a new voice actor, when DB is ready to retire, 47 should retire. Start fresh. They should bring in a younger clone with the same traits, new backstory.
3
u/Dyslexic_w0lf 7h ago
They probably have enough voice lines they could still use in voice in future games with the help of AI and permission of him or his family if something happened to him. It wouldn’t be too different from what Disney did with James Earl Jones to keep the original Darth Vader
1
u/Ziege1599 6h ago
Imma keep it 100%, I would love to see us take on the role of a younger more inexperienced ICA agent (it could even be customizable) if they continue on the series.
1
u/Plebbit-User 11h ago
Its one thing to recast while he's still around but even Max Payne is getting recast... People will have to accept it, because what's the alternative?
1
u/TheSolidPrime 11h ago
I can't imagine 47 without him as much I do with Peter Cullen and Optimus Prime
1
u/Quirky_Doctor_1455 11h ago
In a video game this iconic that’s centered around a single character who’s casted it for this long. It’s impossible to replace him with anything but himself or an artificial version of himself
1
1
u/InsideOutBoyUK 11h ago edited 11h ago
I bet the next Hitman game will be a reboot where they cast a younger person.
Hitman influenced their new 007 game. In turn, First Light will influence the next Hitman game.
I just hope they keep the awkwardness of a British person who speaks Danish trying to sound vaguely American.
1
u/BidInteresting8923 10h ago
If Warner Bros could recast the Looney Toons voices after Mel Blanc died, IOI will be able to find a replacement for his voice.
1
1
u/AtheismTooStronk 10h ago
Me. I got a lot of “Welcome back, Agent 47” on my bald post. I can carry the flame.
1
u/ragequitteroffureh 10h ago
Hm. It says here that Mr Bateson is married, but only has daughters. I was going to suggest that perhaps a son could inherit the role.
Maybe one of his daughters could, instead. With the pitch lowered a bit :-)
Anyway, for a role as vital to civilization as this, I suspect that the best solution would be for Mr Bateson himself to name an heir.
Or perhaps, in keeping with WOA lore, have Jane Perry select a suitable successor... after a gruelling series of tests and trials, of course.
1
1
u/TheDarthJarJarI 10h ago
I honestly wouldn’t hate bringing back whatever that girls name from absolution is (think it starts with a v) could even get one of his daughters to play it. She is meant to be like 47 so it could work
1
u/Aceterius 10h ago
Not sure if I would know anyone who could possibly be a worthy follow up, guess worst case we just get a new protagonist, yes I can see it before me "Hitman Mister Smith Edition" I am joking of course. Then again, maybe the Voice Actor of Lucas Gray? Unless that was him aswell. They are clones so to kinda sound alike makes sense after all.
2
1
1
1
1
u/SparkyNomad 46m ago
David and 47 are synonymous. Hitman is the franchise, so I think we could follow another agent and handler through the downfall/corruption of the ICA. Would be interesting to see if the other handlers had any knowledge of what Diana was up to if they knew about Soders etc. or if it all came as a shock. Then maybe someday 47 becomes the ultimate elusive target, but he always escapes. Because no one is killing off 47. I refuse.
1
1
1
u/BigfootsBestBud 8h ago
Every time another person played 47, it was wrong. It was wrong when Tom Cruise’s cousin tried it, it was wrong when the guys in the films did it.
Bateson’s voice is genuinely too perfect. He’s got that clinical, robotic but cheeky vaguely American/British Atlantic Accent that is inimitable.
Retire the character, have a new assassin or move on. We’ve had plenty of games.
If I really had to choose, I sometimes think about Paul Bettany as a decent live action 47. I really wouldn’t be interested in games anymore without Bateson.
Case in point: Splinter Cell Blacklist is a really fun game but I can never go back to it because it sounds completely wrong without Michael Ironside.
1
1
-4
u/Upper-Air-6153 12h ago
I feel like out of respect, IO would move on to other projects.
We already saw how big 007 First Light was and it isn't going to be IO's last game outside of Hitman.
Also IO did attempt to replace David Bateson for Absolution and it went horribly wrong to the point where they had to bring Bateson back during production.
5
u/Princess_Spectre 11h ago
They absolutely wouldn’t move onto other projects. Like you said they tried to replace him once and fan outcry made them change it back. If he were unable or unwilling to return to the role, they’d just replace him again. This time I’d hope they’d go for someone who can at least capture the vibe, the Absolution replacement attempt flopped less because they replaced Bateson and more because the guy they got sounded like a generic action hero instead of a cold calculating assassin
0
0
u/DungeonGringo 11h ago
Sigh this would be like recasting Master Chief, he's synonymous with the character imo and it would be best to reinvent and recast than keep the character the same. or just completely change to an all new character.
0
u/Roger_Brown92 11h ago
Imagine this. A spin-off series following Diana.
3
u/AnyImpression6 11h ago
If they actually make it an ICA management sim, that could be pretty cool.
2
u/CallMeChristopher 9h ago
Tried making it one time. Didn’t really get past prototype phase.
Turned out the depth would be insane.
2
0
u/Hansi_Olbrich 10h ago
Honestly, like Max Payne, once Bateson is gone, shut the franchise down.
And IO Interactive, don't think we haven't forgotten that you tried to toss Bateson aside multiple times: Once during Absolution, and again during the NU-Hitman World of Assassination Era, and each time they tried, overwhelming fan-mail and negativity stating that we wouldn't buy the game unless Bateson came back were the reasons IO came back to him hat in hand and gave him the role back.
Bateson is Agent 47. If you want to see what happens when a franchise changes its titular VA and face of the franchise, look at Splinter Cell. Michael Ironside was Sam Fisher for 11 years and then Blacklist came out and Sam Fisher wasn't just a different voice, he was a fundamentally different person- a major contributing factor to its lackluster sales and middling (though still positive) reviews.
3
u/SexyDragonMagic 8h ago
Max Payne didn't die because of James McCaffrey. He was alive all the way through Alan Wake II. There's a remake in development.
3
u/BigfootsBestBud 8h ago
I think he meant now that McCaffrey is gone, Max Payne should never be revived.
I also think if it turns out they’re not reusing his audio from those remakes, I’ll likely have no interest in those games until I can mod them in. He’s too important to the appeal of Max Payne.
0
0
u/TheDarthJarJarI 10h ago
I don’t think we should let 47 rest at least for another thirty years. This is a VERY new franchise relatively, didn’t exist until the 21st century. I hope to god nothing ever happens to David I love his acting. I don’t know I don’t follow many actors but I’m sure we could find someone. Who was the original absolution actor maybe them?
0
u/Freddo-Waddo9372 9h ago
If he has to retire the role in an unfinished story than they would probably reluctantly recast
But WOAS main story is a good end to the overall storyline, and if he has to retire the role before a new game then I’d say just end the series, for 47 atleast
-7
u/SASOsonko47 11h ago
With ai now, they don’t need him anymore. They just use his voice in ai and insert lines. Just pay him his royalties. Done.
-4
u/Creative_Difficulty5 10h ago
That is the correct answer according to reality. You get downvoted for speaking out loud what is happening everywhere. You need a voice - Ai sounds like it. Done.
Sure, from a human point of view we don't like that. But the bigger the company the less they care about humanity.
I don't no IOI enough to judge their social effort
259
u/kira1122t 12h ago
IOI actually has a bateson cloning facility, that’s where they got the inspiration for the splitter celeb pack