Back in March, the entertainment world mourned the passing of Lance Reddick. The Destiny 2 community even held in-game vigils for Reddick, who voiced the major character Commander Zavala.
Now Bungie officially announced a new voice for the stoic leader of the Vanguard: beloved voice and screen actor Keith David.
Keith David as Zavala Announcement
The announcement of Keith David's casting for Zavala came from an official Bungie blog post. The post opens by praising the professionalism that Reddick brought to Commander Zavala, his iconic voice giving gravitas and passion to major events throughout the game's history.
The post then confirms that Keith David will be the new voice of Commander Zavala as part of the upcoming expansion, Destiny 2 The Final Shape, and any future content going forward.
Bungie has also stated that all of Reddick's existing voice lines will remain untouched in the game. This is a relief since the last time a character was recast in Destiny, the voice of Ghost, all prior voice lines were replaced.
Keith David has an extensive body of work, including voice acting and screen acting. His work ranges from the intense like the lead role in the 1990s Spawn animated series to more jovial work such as King Andrias in the show Amphibia.
When asked about taking on the role of Commander Zavala, David stated the following:
“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.”
This is not the first time Keith David has been the voice of a beloved sci-fi character. Halo fans may recognize David as the voice of The Arbiter. David has also breathed life into the Mass Effect trilogy's own Captain David Andersen.
There is currently no release date for Destiny 2 The Final Shape.
