Summary
- Spider-Man's dual identity is a key narrative point, making it challenging for actors to balance his superhero and human sides.
- Voice actors like Yuri Lowenthal have become synonymous with the wall-crawler through iconic portrayals in games and animations.
- Marvel Rivals continues to solidify Lowenthal as the quintessential Spider-Man voice actor, showcasing his talent in the role.
Widely believed to be the most popular superhero on the planet, Spider-Man is a complex, lovable character that presents some interesting challenges for any actor looking to take on the role. While other superheroes need to balance their dual identities carefully, that's a primary narrative point in the vast majority of Spider-Man stories, and balancing those two halves can be difficult for some actors to achieve, especially when actors can only use their voice, which often results in a Spider-Man portrayal that really nails the quippy superhero half of the character, but not the naive, heartfelt human side, or vice versa.
With Spider-Man being such a challenging character to bring to life, it's only natural that the ones who have gotten it right over the years have become household names among fans, such as Christopher Daniel Barnes, Josh Keaton, and Rino Romano. But few voice actors have become quite as synonymous with the wall-crawler as Yuri Lowenthal, whose career as Spider-Man is only continuing to grow thanks to games like Marvel Rivals.
Marvel Rivals’ Confirmed Locations Mean One Wall-Crawler Might Not Be Far Behind
Marvel Rivals has only clarified two settings it'll take place in thus far and one has already explicitly referenced yet another Spider-Person.
Marvel Rivals Continues to Cement Yuri Lowenthal as The Quintessential Spider-Man
An Overview of Yuri Lowenthal's Spider-Man Career
Though Yuri Lowenthal's voice acting career began back in the early 1990s, one of his first major video game roles came about a decade later, with the actor voicing the titular Prince in 2003's Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. But it would be a few more years before Lowenthal received his first gig as the web-slinger, and his first few outings as Spidey weren't all that conventional.
According to IMDb, in 2008, Yuri Lowenthal voiced Spider-Man for the first time, appearing in Zen Pinball. In 2011, Lowenthal would get another crack at the character, playing Spidey in the family-friendly MMO Marvel Super Hero Squad Online.
In 2014, Lowenthal took the lead role in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 tie-in game, but only in the mobile versions, with Sam Riegel playing the part in the mainline console and PC versions. In the same year, Yuri Lowenthal voiced Spidey again in the mobile game Spider-Man: Unlimited, an endless runner.
But in 2018, Yuri Lowenthal finally got the Spider-Man-related break he truly deserved. After working with Insomniac on Sunset Overdrive, Lowenthal was asked to audition for Marvel's Spider-Man, and upon earning the role, Lowenthal proceeded to deliver what's widely regarded as one of the best Spider-Man performances ever, managing to strike that aforementioned balance between Spidey and Peter Parker perfectly.
In the years since Marvel's Spider-Man release, Yuri Lowenthal has essentially become the go-to choice for the role, appearing in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and even appearing as a cameo voice in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Yuri Lowenthal Returns in Marvel Rivals
Announced just a few weeks ago, Marvel Rivals is an Overwatch-like hero shooter that puts teams of six iconic Marvel heroes and villains against one another. Though not too much has been revealed about the game, Marvel Rivals' announcement trailer did confirm that Yuri Lowenthal would be returning as Spider-Man once again. Though it's currently unclear how much Spider-Man will talk in Marvel Rivals, it's great to see Yuri Lowenthal continue to cement his place as the quintessential Spider-Man voice actor.
Marvel Rivals
- Released
- December 6, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!
A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.
Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.
Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!
Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!
Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
- Developer(s)
- NetEase Games
- Publisher(s)
- NetEase Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Franchise
- Marvel
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter, Action, Multiplayer
