Spider-Man 2 face explained: Why did they recast Peter Parker actor?

Listen to our One More Life podcast - the new episode is about Spider-Man 2!

Speaking of the characters, though, there was a change in the 2020 remaster which broke our immersion somewhat. We know it's been years now, but this change is continuing in the sequel, so it's worth bringing back up. We're talking about Peter Parker's face.

While the voice actor remains the same (thankfully), he now has a completely different look. It's an odd decision, so why did it happen?

Let's investigate.

Spider-Man 2 face explained: Why did they recast Peter Parker actor?

Thankfully the role of Peter Parker hasn't been "recast" entirely, because acting legend Yuri Lowenthal remains the voice.

But, as of the 2020 remaster, the face is completely different. So, to an extent, it feels like we're playing with a different Peter than we were in 2018.

Check out the video from YouTube channel Marvel Moments below to see a side by side comparison of the original and remaster (it's the end scene, so spoiler alert):

So, why did the devs recast the face model? Well, apparently, the older face was more difficult to use alongside Lowenthal's motion capture performance compared to the new one - especially as they moved into more powerful tech (the PS5).

The previous face model (John Bubniak) didn't look a thing like Lowenthal, so it makes sense that this would have been a challenge going forward.

But, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, it's a shame our immersion had to be broken.

Lowenthal himself has said disappointed fans need to "get over it" - but it's hard not to get a sense of broken continuity, especially when we've grown attached to the old Peter.

Read more on Spider-Man 2:

• Spider-Man 2 podcast - hear our thoughts
• Spider-Man 2 review - our final verdict
• Spider-Man 2 missions - all main chapters
• Spider-Man 2 suits - how to get all outfits
• Spider-Man 2 trophies - the full list
• How long is Spider-Man 2? Hours needed
• Spider-Man 2 New Game Plus - is it coming?
• Spider-Man 2 soundtrack - how to listen
• Spider-Man 2 resources - get tokens and parts
• Spider-Man 2 cast - key voice actors
• Spider-Man 2 PC - our predictions
• Spider-Man 2 PS4 - will it happen?
• Spider-Man 2 ending explained - spoilers ahoy!

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