Bungie does Zavala, Lance Reddick justice with legendary replacement for iconic Destiny character

Another esteemed screen actor is following in Reddick's footsteps.

Commander Zavala standing at his post in the Tower in Destiny 2
Bungie is making an honorable choice for Zavala's replacement. Image via Bungie

Much-beloved Destiny character Commander Zavala’s legacy will live on through another voice actor following the death of legendary actor Lance Reddick earlier this year, Bungie announced today. 

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The Destiny development team has confirmed that another esteemed actor in Keith David will take over the role of Zavala in Destiny 2’s upcoming expansion, The Final Shape

David, a Hollywood icon, has starred in countless films spanning back nearly six decades, including the John Carpenter classic The Thing (1982), as well as Jordan Peele’s recent horror/western Nope (2022). He’s no stranger to video game roles, either. Gamers should recognize David as the voice of the Arbiter in the Halo franchise, as well as Sgt. Foley from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

“I am honored to continue the great work of Lance Reddick as Zavala,” David said in a statement provided by Bungie. “Lance captured the character’s sense of integrity so wonderfully. It is my intention to continue that work.” 

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Reddick had served as the voice of Zavala since the original release of the first Destiny game back in 2014 all the way up to his death in March. The voice of Zavala is arguably the most iconic in the game, and moving forward, fans should have no fear about the character’s future—a true professional is taking the reins. 

Destiny players on the game’s official subreddit have already started to pour out their support for the move, with fans calling this a “respectful outcome” and a “hell of a replacement.” 

Fans should expect the voice of Zavala to change in content for The Final Shape next year. Bungie confirmed that all of Reddick’s voice lines from previous versions of the game will remain “untouched.”

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Image of Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly
Staff Writer covering World of Warcraft and League of Legends, among others. Mike's been with Dot since 2020, and has been covering esports since 2018.