Rumors of a Resident Evil 4 Remake re-casting sparked considerable debate among fans of the series.A Reddit post from user DampRevil to the Gaming Leaks and Rumors subreddit shared a video which seems to confirm that Lily Gao will replace Jolene Anderson as the motion capture and voice of Ada Wong. In the video, Dan Allen Gaming said that "multiple sources" had informed him of the re-casting, though he did not specify the reasons behind it. Fans were quick to respond, with several upset at the lost of Anderson, while others praised the casting choice of Gao, should the rumor be true.[EMBED_REDDIT]https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLeaksAndRumours/comments/vehbwf/lily_gao_may_be_ada_wongs_performance_capture/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3[/EMBED_REDDIT]Anderson previously confirmed that she would not be returning to the role after a well-recieved performance in Resident Evil 2 Remake. Gao, meanwhile, previously played Ada Wong, but in a live action adaptation of the franchise called, Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City. Gao only appeared in the film's mid-credits scene, but some fans on Twitter and Reddit quickly judged her performance of the character as an indicator of how she'd do in the upcoming remake.
Others pointed out the liklihood the casting decision was based on wanting to have Wong portrayed by an Asian actress given the character's nationality, much like Street Fighter 6's Chun-Li re-casting. This sparked further debate, as several redditors felt race should play no part in deciding on the casting given it is a voice acting role, and many described Anderson's portrayl as "perfect" and re-casting of a voice in games "jarring". Redditors countered this claim by stating it seemed only right to have an Asian character played by an Asian actor, voice-only or not.
The Resident Evil 4 Remake was one of the worst kept secrets in all of gaming, with many fans eagerly awaiting the day it would finally be officialy announced. That day came during a recent PlayStation State of Play, surprizing fans with the first look at the game. Before then, fans only had small leaks and rumors to tide them over, such as one that claims Resident Evil 4 Remake has a much darker tone than the original. The creator of Resident Evil, Shinji Mikami, gave the remake his blessing in an interview, stating, "I saw a video of the Resident Evil 2 Remake and I thought it was very good," he said. "As long as it turns out good I have no issues with it."
Resident Evil 4's remake will launch as a PlayStation 5 exclusive on March 24, 2023.
Sources: Reddit, Twitter