Critical Role’s CEO to Voice Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation made waves during the Summer Game Fest, but keen-eyed fans might have caught an unexpected twist: Tyler Hoechlin will no longer voice Sephiroth. Instead, Critical Role’s Travis Willingham will take on the role of the iconic villain, bringing a deeper voice to the character.

Director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed this change in an interview with a popular YouTuber after the SGF livestream, explaining that Hoechlin was “unable to return” due to scheduling conflicts. Willingham will join his Critical Role colleague Matthew Mercer, who is set to voice Vincent Valentine.

This recasting is particularly striking given that this final entry in the trilogy is expected to feature Sephiroth more prominently than in the previous installments. While the original game hints at the One-Winged Angel throughout, it’s in the latter part where he truly steps into the spotlight, aiming to unleash an apocalypse—hence the title Revelation, referencing the biblical end times.

Willingham is no stranger to major voice acting roles. He’s known for voicing Grog in The Legend of Vox Machina and has portrayed a range of superheroes, including Thor and Superman, as well as fan-favorites like Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist. He’s also taken on numerous villainous roles, such as Lex Luthor, Cell, and Sebastian Shaw from X-Men ’97.

In a fun twist, a fan shared a photo on X featuring a cosplayer dressed as Sephiroth, taken by a friend of the Critical Role cast in 2024. In the image, Willingham is seen making a shushing gesture, which fans are interpreting as a playful nod to his new role as Sephiroth.

While some may feel let down by this late change in voice acting, Revelation has certainly made a strong impression. Its first trailer showcased epic battles against the Weapons, provided a glimpse of Vincent and Cid’s abilities, and revealed character costumes tied to a new class system. The Remake trilogy has a knack for evoking powerful emotions, as seen when Tifa, referencing her best friend Aerith, declares, “I’ll make you proud” while unexpectedly taking on the role of a Black Mage.

Though it can be argued that this trilogy may be stretching itself thin—especially with Rebirth’s open-world elements—these games have excelled at bringing their core characters to life. Here’s hoping this new iteration of Sephiroth lives up to his legendary status when Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches in early 2027.