Crunchyroll has announced that none other than Channing Tatum will join the English dub cast of Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle. He voices kindly dojo master Keizo, a pivotal figure in the backstory of lead villain Akaza (Lucien Dodge), in the anime film hitting theaters on September 21.
Tatum’s casting comes as a major surprise, as high-profile Hollywood actors rarely take on anime dub roles (Studio Ghibli’s films being a notable exception). However, this isn’t the 45-year-old’s first connection to Demon Slayer. As seen in the video above, he attended the premiere of the previous film, To the Hashira Training, last year with his 10-year-old daughter.
In a statement to Variety, Mitchel Berger, Crunchyroll’s executive VP of global commerce, said:
“We are excited to welcome Channing Tatum, who discovered his love of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and anime through watching the series with his daughter, along with Rebecca Wang as the English voices of Keizo and Koyuki [Keizo’s daughter].”
The announcement has reignited online discussions about low pay rates for anime voice actors, with some specifically calling out Crunchyroll. While Tatum’s role is small, suggesting his pay was far below his usual rate, it’s worth noting that the Demon Slayer dub is produced not by Crunchyroll, but by fellow Sony subsidiary Aniplex, which employs unionized actors.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle is the fourth movie in the series (following Mugen Train, To the Swordsmith Village, and To the Hashira Training) and only the second not compiled from TV episodes (Mugen Train being the first). It launches a trilogy that will conclude the saga, based on Koyoharu Gotouge’s 2016–2020 manga. Whether Tatum will reprise his role for the final two installments, reportedly planned for 2027 and 2029, remains unknown.
Source(s): Crunchyroll, Forbes, Variety
