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Kingdom Hearts II gets English voice cast

Familiar talent returns for new Disney-Square Enix crossover, new stars added to roster.

The first Kingdom Hearts game was notable not just as a gaming crossover between characters from the Disney and Square Enix universes, but also as a cultural crossover with an abundance of talent from the world of film coming together to work on a game. While that particular brand of crossover is becoming more and more common these days, Disney and Square Enix are looking to assemble a silver screen-worthy voice cast for its small screen PlayStation 2 game, Kingdom Hearts II.

Haley Joel Osment (The Sixth Sense, The Country Bears), David Gallagher (7th Heaven, Angels in the Endzone), and Hayden Panettiere (Racing Stripes, Bring It On 3) will reprise the main roles of Sora, Riku, and Kairi, respectively. Backing up the three main characters of the original game is a diverse cast, including Christopher Lee (Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Dracula: Prince of Darkness), Rachael Leigh Cook (Josie and the Pussycats, The House of Yes), Mena Suvari (American Beauty, American Pie), and pop singer Jesse McCartney, who was twice nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his acting work on All My Children.

A handful of Hollywood heavy hitters will also be taking up the roles of Disney characters they helped make famous. James Woods (Ghosts of Mississippi, Videodrome) will once again become Hercules' nemesis, Hades, while Zach Braff (Scrubs, Garden State) provides the voice of Chicken Little.

As with the first Kingdom Hearts, Japanese pop star Utada Hikaru will sing the game's theme song. Hikaru's "Sanctuary," an English version of the Japanese game's theme song "Passion," was written specifically for Kingdom Hearts II.

Kingdom Hearts II is set for a March 28 release in North America and will retail for $49.99. For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

90 Comments

  • doogi05

    Posted Jul 13, 2006 10:53 am GMT

    Jack Sparrow sounds JUST LIKE Johnny Depp!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE IT ISN'T!!!!!!!!! That Makes me soooo mad!!!

  • harling13style

    Posted Mar 28, 2006 3:28 pm GMT

    I guess

  • Rockman999

    Posted Mar 22, 2006 2:04 pm GMT

    awwwwwww k'mon ywhy did they have to ruin it by keeping Haley joe as Sora's Voice actor damn square enix what is wrong with you!?!?!?!?.

  • celes_forsaken

    Posted Feb 20, 2006 4:30 pm GMT

    "I see dead people..."







    lol! I hope he uses Sora to say that in the game.

  • bigboss05

    Posted Feb 19, 2006 8:42 pm GMT

    great all we need now is advent children.

  • xq101

    Posted Feb 19, 2006 7:14 am GMT

    well, i loved the song "Passion", but does that mean its not going to be in the english version? or Sanctuary just like Passion?

  • Mushroom_King

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 2:16 pm GMT

    Wow just wow, i can't wait!!!! and btw i didn't know chicken litle was gonna be in the game that sould be amusing

  • pythonxz

    Posted Feb 17, 2006 3:50 am GMT

    Thank God, No Lance Bass.....lol

  • quiman12

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 9:02 pm GMT

    Yay!!! Now if only the game would come out already

  • pnoy_dude25

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 7:55 pm GMT

    ZACH BRAFF!! whoaaa!! he's that dude that i watch!!!

  • sbfullmer

    Posted Feb 16, 2006 4:34 pm GMT

    Wow...this is a BIG news to everyone. I've been waiting for this for a LONG time for the release of this game!!

  • Sergiotca

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 10:18 pm GMT

    Yhea wathever... I'd get it even if it was in some alien language... it doesn't matter when you think you'll finally know if sora gets the chick

  • nurik_strife

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 9:29 am GMT

    This game is going to be so awe-some, everything about the Kingdom Hearts games' is excellent. Not to mention I saw a screenshot of the new version of Cloud with his back to Squall's inFFVIII, this game is so awe-some.

  • qatarman

    Posted Feb 15, 2006 6:04 am GMT

    THIS GAME BETTER BE WORTH ALL THE WAITING COZ IM GONA KICK THER ASSs IF ITs NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • ChaosTheory111

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 3:52 pm GMT

    The cast of Pirates of the Caribbean are too busy filming the sequal and couldn't do the voices.

  • volumesoxxs

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 12:14 pm GMT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • volumesoxxs

    Posted Feb 14, 2006 12:13 pm GMT

    This game is gonna rock the audio is going to be great

  • MasterChief1013

    Posted Feb 12, 2006 1:32 pm GMT

    I can't wait for this game...it's gonna pwn dirty

  • SC_George

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 6:10 pm GMT

    warren3, if u want to c updates on KH2 go 2 www.kh2.co.uk, its good, believe me

  • The_Code

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 5:00 pm GMT

    Looks good except for the lack of Johnny Depp for Jack.

  • warrren3

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 11:56 am GMT

    Man this is great somthing more to look forward to. NOW if mabe they could update there site, I mean it been how long..... it been sense nov. 5 and still nothing and the game almost out jeez.

  • sakamatana5

    Posted Feb 11, 2006 6:39 am GMT

    Utada Hikaru! Kick fun sacks. She was pretty much the entire game. She write great songs, but i hope they have the same voices for the disney characters. It would blow if Donald had Jhonny Depp's voice.^_^

  • dragonic_man

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 5:56 pm GMT

    You know, for some reason, Diz reminds me of Slade from Teen Titans, so I pictured Ron Pearlman doing his voice, but Christopher Lee ain't a bad choice either.

  • VJmission

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 11:23 am GMT

    Finally after four long years of waiting, this game is coming out this year!
    I can't wait to play it!

  • blazinB

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 11:16 am GMT

    who are all this people everyone is talking about besides kingdom hearts is for sissy girl fruit cup fat boys

  • SC_George

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 10:36 am GMT

    My mistake 4 DiZ, i appologize, as for passion, yes its a good song, really amazing, and im sorry, but there has been mention of ansem, not to mention screenshots of him in an Organization coat thanks, movies too, look it up -Chill

  • StillWingless

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 10:34 am GMT

    T_T i was hoping they'd have a full list. ah well, guess i can always go to IMDb.

  • Nico4

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 10:21 am GMT

    Why did they forgot Johnny Depp?

  • Mista_Sal

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 8:40 am GMT

    The date is nearing. I will be reserving my copy soon, but in the meantime I have 4 ROG's I need to beat first. Better get cracking.

  • Paul_TheGreat

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 8:10 am GMT

    The RPG of the year.

  • darkcat1

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:54 am GMT

    waht no Jonny Depp as Jack Sparrow?

  • pashark

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:36 am GMT

    nice cast. like the 1st!

  • Viquist

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:13 am GMT

    I'm so stoked about this game... great choices for voice actors/actresses... so when can I play it?!?!?... hurry up and release already!!!!!!

  • Seraphim_24

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:03 am GMT

    No Mandy Moore as Aerith? Oh well at least the main three are the same... I guess some of the voice overs in the original weren't all that great, (Lance Bass as Sephiroth? I was laughing my butt off on that one) but I thought Mandy did pretty good with Aerith.

  • ufopuller

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 7:00 am GMT

    Great noise

  • boy_h011

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 5:48 am GMT

    Saaaweeeet! Totally awesome...great cast....The voice of Christopher Lee ....intense!!! Can't wait for Hikaru's new song...hell can't wait till March 28. d^o^b

  • RyuKazama

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 3:19 am GMT

    Chicken Little is only a summon in the game.

    As for Passion, apparantly Hikaru wrote the English version of KHII's theme first and wanted it to be used in the Japanese version, but SE disapproved of it. Oh well, it should be a great song, like most of her stuff usually is.

    Christopher Lee as DiZ is absolutely perfect! He has the write voice suited to DiZ. The Japanese VA and Lee actually sound alike.

  • sringangel

    Posted Feb 9, 2006 2:57 am GMT

    Why call it Sanctuary when the japanese version is called Passion o_O?
    Or is Utada writing a completely different song for the US version?

  • Reetesh

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 11:41 pm GMT

    Hey I didnt know that Chicken Little is in the Game. was nt the game in production way before the Movie Was released? Hope the Level is good though.

  • AzureLivesOn

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 11:14 pm GMT

    And Chicken Little is only confirmed to be a summon. We may very well see his world, but so far no dice. Seeings how the final version will have twice the worlds we'll ever see beforehand, it's possible.

  • AzureLivesOn

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 11:12 pm GMT

    Christopher Lee is voicing the leader of the Organization, the "mysterious wrapped banadaged man". Sorry if that ruined anyone's day, but this was included as part of Square's announcement directly stating exactly who was playing what.

    The only one not accounted for was Sephiroth, but SE had always believed Bass would return to cover it. Seeings how he's billed as the One WInged Angel is the NA version of Advent Children. The full listing is as follows (if this is a repeat post, forgive me):

    Osment-Sora, David Gallagher-Riku, Hayden Panettiere-Kairi, Jesse McCartney-Roxas (the blond kid who you start the game as), Christopher Lee-Organization Leader, Steve Burton-Cloud, Rachel Leigh Cook-Tifa, Mena Suvari-Aerith, Hedy Burress-Yuna (original NA voiceover actor), Tara Strong-Rikku (same), Gwendoline Yeo-Paine (same), Mina Na-Mulan, and Woods and Braff being their obvious roles.

    The buzz is those fronting FF7 members were also approached to voice Advent Children. Maybe KH2 will be the test to see if they can cut it. I'm pumped either way. Bring on March!!

  • andrewtyen

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 11:07 pm GMT

    sounds great

  • rehino

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 9:39 pm GMT

    very awesome voice cast. should be good

  • -Chill

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 8:59 pm GMT

    Christopher Lee is DiZ. Perhaps you need to read more clearly? There is no mention of Billy Zane or Ansem. Mandy Moore found the work to stressful to continue. I'm kiding I don't know what happened to her. Release date finally! Remember when they said Sep.2005 and that seemed like a long time.

  • hush404

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 8:23 pm GMT

    As usual, Square is willing to spend the cash to bring every thing they can to their games, marvelous.

  • Ernice

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 8:19 pm GMT

    and not to mention Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightley. where did they go ?

  • Ernice

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 8:18 pm GMT

    what happened to Mandy Moore ?

  • gokunj2

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 7:59 pm GMT

    Zach Braff will be in this game? Sweetness!!!!

  • Eclipse_ShinRa

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 7:32 pm GMT

    SC_George:indeed, Im sick of everyone crying about who doing who..they may suck in what ever they do,((he still did a get job in KH1, and HE as a good deep voice)S-E knows what there doing
    ((then my soruces: was wrong, because they said DiZ, was Christopher Lee..first time there wrong about something..but we all make mistakes some time (((sorry English is bad))))

  • SC_George

    Posted Feb 8, 2006 7:00 pm GMT

    omg u guys dont look into this at all do u? DiZ is played by the same person as Ansem, if Billy Zane returns, itll b him. Chicken Little is just a summon. McCartney IS playing Roxas. Go to Kingdom Hearts Ultimanium, they have more than any other site, and its correct. Lee, if i had to match his voice to a character will be playing The Sorcerer for The Sorcerers Apprentice. Lance may suck, but his voice was really good in KH, he should be given a chance.

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