The Narrator

[Morningcalm]

Keith David narrated the announcement and launch trailers for Civ V and Brave New World so I think he would be fitting as a narrator. I get that hiring voice actors over celebrities might make more sense from a cost perspective, but celebrities also bring with them greater awareness of Civ as a whole so I think that can still work out nicely for Firaxis. There are also definitely many great female narrator choices among celebrities like Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, and many others.

I think I'm more convinced now that the best solution is to get a mix of multiple people rather than a single narrator, for variety's sake. Civilization is the story of multiple peoples, so surely if we can have multiple voices for the many leaders we can have multiple narrators (voice actors and/or celebrities) to highlight, to some extent, that same diversity.

 

[Quintillus]

Dame Judi Dench? She delivered one of my favorite Bond lines of all times, which could potentially be usable for a late game civic - "Christ, I miss the Cold War." The deliver in the context was perfect. She can certainly deliver short, sharp, witty quips.

I could see a mix working, if there was a good matching of who is delivering the line to the style of the quote. But it would be a significant amount of overhead and planning versus just having one or two people read all of them.

Could they maybe get David Attenborough? Hahaha

I think he'd be a great choice for an intro movie, of the style of the Civ IV intro video (below). For tech quotes, no, they're too much about developing the non-natural world anyway. But the Civ IV intro video was as much about the Earth as cities, and for something like that, Attenborough would be a great choice.

 

[Morningcalm]

Dame Judi Dench? She delivered one of my favorite Bond lines of all times, which could potentially be usable for a late game civic - "Christ, I miss the Cold War." The deliver in the context was perfect. She can certainly deliver short, sharp, witty quips.

I could see a mix working, if there was a good matching of who is delivering the line to the style of the quote. But it would be a significant amount of overhead and planning versus just having one or two people read all of them.

I think he'd be a great choice for an intro movie, of the style of the Civ IV intro video (below). For tech quotes, no, they're too much about developing the non-natural world anyway. But the Civ IV intro video was as much about the Earth as cities, and for something like that, Attenborough would be a great choice.

Yeah Judi Dench and Attenborough are great choices. Neither is likely to live too much longer either, so it would be great to get one of them for Civilization as a nice note to their legacy.

 

[Vandlys]

My guess is she’s unlikely since she’s been hired by the competition (Ara) for that trailer.

But I won’t abide this disrespect of William Morgan Sheppard! Just kidding, but in all seriousness he’s my favorite Civ narrator ever. I just love his delivery and I think the writing in Civ 5 was the best the series has had to date, so that helps too.

His delivery and the quotes I have absolutely no issues with. I think is delivery is really well done, and the quotes are good too. I just don't care for his style of voice, and such an opinion (of mine) is not easy to change in this regard.

The quotes in Civ VI were abysmal, an absolute source of irritation to me, so regardless of the VOA we get the quotes need to be many, many times better.

 

[Leucarum]

Civ does like narrators from sci-fi or fantasy.... So just going to throw out my vote for simultaneous worst and best choice as being Peter Capaldi. With bonus points for togglable swearing.

 

[Canadian Bluebeer]

Cate Blanchett would be fine as a narrator, or as Elizabeth.

Male Narrator (for giggles) John Cleese

 

[Vandlys]

I love that so far we've been looking at a lot of actors, but why not go for a proven voice-over artist?

https://english-voice-over.fandom.com/wiki/Richard_Ridings

I know him the most from his role as Dungeon Keeper's Mentor, but in War for the Overworld and Fable he's also done a bang-up job.

 

[Ordnael]

I loved VA Kitty Archer's take on Xenoblade Chronicles 3's Eunie.

 

[Potworny]

Did I say Tilda Swinton already? Surely if she agreed to voice a octopus for the one superhero parody show she'd be cool with a classy role in an epic history video game. I like the idea of Cate Blanchett for similar reasons.

 

[Sherlock]

William Shatner.

 

[Red Adept]

William Shatner.

Shatner would demand a three-game deal because Nimoy did one game.

 

[ldvhl]

En Esch

 

[Clubber Lang]

AI created voice of say Orson Welles.

GZA.

 

[Futumch]

AI created voice of say Orson Welles.

An AI created Richard Burton would be pretty good too.

How about Benedict Cumberbatch ? He's got a good lower register voice - I don't know if he's bass or baritone, but deep anyway. He could also use his native accent as well. Before he was Doc Strange, he voiced a frickin' dragon!
Mark Strong, who played Merlin in the first two Kingsman films, as well as the antagonist in the 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie, and Whatsisface Sinestro in Green Lantern has a good voice too.
The problem with a lot of these big name stars is they'd cost a packet to hire though.

 

[Sherlock]

Kurt Russell.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

AI created voice of say Orson Welles.

GZA.

Please, no AI. The tech is nowhere near as mature as it's ever advertised, its data collection practices devalues artists' labour to essentially zero (with no promise of any compensation to the artists affected), and is such an environmental hazard that it practically negates all of the 20+ years of progress towards carbon neutrality

 

[piratebob]

It was fine in 5. Terrible in 6.

 

[KayAU]

A sample of Cate Blanchett:

And one of John Noble:

(I could have taken one from LotR for him has well, but the similarity of the quotes were too tempting)

Both have done voice over work before, Noble has done video games as well, including L.A. Noire and Batman: Arkham Knight.

 

[Canadian Bluebeer]

Heh, .... Agent Smith, er Hugo Weaving.