Future Cinematic Games Can Follow Cyberpunk 2077’s Lead With Celebrities

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home February 1, 2025 12 Views 7 Min Read
Future Cinematic Games Can Follow Cyberpunk 2077's Lead With Celebrities



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Summary

  • Cyberpunk 2077’s redemption was solidified by its Phantom Liberty DLC, praised for its cinematic storytelling and celebrity talent.
  • The game set a new standard for integrating Hollywood stars like Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba into the narrative seamlessly.
  • Other cinematic studios like Naughty Dog and Quantic Dream should learn from Cyberpunk 2077’s incorporation of celebrities in future projects.

Cyberpunk 2077 may never escape its historically troubled launch being mentioned whenever it’s discussed. But now that developer CD Projekt Red has had nearly five years to smooth out its issues through a stream of patches and updates that have brought it up to snuff, Cyberpunk 2077 sits in many fans’ good graces. Its 2023 DLC, Phantom Liberty, was then highly praised upon release, cementing its road to full redemption.

Many of Cyberpunk 2077‘s initial hitches were related to technical and performance woes, particularly on older consoles. On the other hand, its setting, narrative, and especially characters were the elements that most concurred were impressive and engaging across the board despite the issues. This was greatly helped by the main campaign, and later Phantom Liberty, featuring high-profile Hollywood talent to bring some of their most prominent characters to life. And while it certainly wasn’t the first game to do so, the way that Cyberpunk 2077 utilized its celebrity star power is something that other future games with a heavy focus on cinematic storytelling incorporating major celebrities could do well to take notes from.

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Future Cinematic Games Can Take a Page out of Cyberpunk 2077’s Playbook Regarding Celebrity Talent

Cyberpunk 2077 Raised the Bar For Cinematic Games Featuring Celebrity Characters

Announced in 2012, the excitement around Cyberpunk 2077 remained high for years, even as its launch date crept further and further back. However, it was the memorable moment when Keanu Reeves appeared on stage at 2019’s E3 during Microsoft’s presentation to reveal his involvement in it that launched the hype into the stratosphere. With that move, CD Projekt Red set expectations for Cyberpunk 2077 that would have been a challenge to meet even if it didn’t end up releasing in the state it did.

Still, most fans would agree that CDPR could not have found a better fit for Johnny Silverhand. With Johnny being an integral figure in the IP, Reeves worked closely with the studio to realize the character for Cyberpunk 2077. Reeves’ turn as Johnny combined aspects of the actor’s public persona and mannerisms with some of his most popular film roles, but crucially, didn’t just copy them into the game’s world. The result was a character that looked and felt familiar yet was a distinct creation. Reeves’ presence and performance as Johnny seamlessly melded with CP2077’s plot, organically elevating its emotional impact and staying power.

Similarly, CDPR then tapped Idris Elba for Phantom Liberty’s shadowy FIA agent, Solomon Reed. Elba embodied Reed’s cool and calculating demeanor and style, and was just as excellent a choice for the DLC’s spy-thriller tale. The important factor is that while both were recognizably their real-life actors, they were able not to be distracting and break immersion by being “too much” of themselves. Neither Reed nor Johnny come off as gimmicky novelty inclusions for their own sake, but instead bolster the stories through the actors’ measured portrayals. This is the main lesson Cyberpunk 2077 can impart to other games that strive to attempt the same.

Cinematic-Focused Studios That Could Take Cues From Cyberpunk 2077’s Use of Celebrities

It can be a tightrope to walk when big name stars are featured in games to ensure they retain their allure without overpowering a title’s other components. There are some notable developers with a history of focusing on cinematic realism and celebrities that might want to study Cyberpunk 2077‘s handling of these closely:

  • Naughty Dog
  • Santa Monica
  • Hideo Kojima/Kojima Productions
  • Quantic Dream
  • Supermassive Games

Although some of these may not have figures like Elba and Reeves, all usually place a strong emphasis on cinematic storytelling while often including the likenesses of known and popular actors. Arguably, though, none have managed to quite match Cyberpunk 2077‘s balance between the writing, direction, and the actors’ interpretation of their characters to realize them in the same way. The listed and other like-minded studios then may want to pay close attention to the methods CP2077 used to achieve the above, and aim to integrate and further improve upon them in future games of this nature.

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