James C Burns will not reprise his role as Frank Woods in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and the actor seems to be a bit upset about the situation. In a series of posts on Twitter, the actor has made clear his disappointment over being recast, and has stated that he is not aware why the decision was made by Activision and Treyarch. The upcoming game is a direct sequel to the original Black Ops, so it would have made sense to have the actor return. On Twitter, a number of fans shared their disappointment with the decision, throwing their support behind the actor.
thanks for the Support… BUT let’s be clear… I do not feel “screwed over”…. I respect their right to decide… I just wish It would have been me…I would have crushed it!! https://t.co/DBOb6XuUMl
— james c burns (@jamescburns) September 1, 2020
Unfortunately, actors are frequently recast in video games, often without explanation. Many Metal Gear Solid fans were disappointed when David Hayter was replaced by Kiefer Sutherland for Metal Gear Solid V: Phantom Pain. Like Burns, Hayter had a long association with the character. Other returning characters from the Black Ops cast have also been recast, so it seems that this was not decided on an individual basis. Publishers rarely reveal why decisions like this are made, however, so fans should not expect to see a definitive explanation from Activision or Treyarch anytime soon.
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Some dedicated fans have taken it upon themselves to start a Change.org petition to bring back Burns in the role. As of this writing, the petition does not have a lot of signatures, but Burns seemed touched by the effort, commending the commitment of his fans on Twitter. Those interested in signing the Change.org petition can find it right here.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is set to release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. The game will release on current-gen systems on November 13th, and on next-gen systems at launch. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the game right here.
What do you think about the recasting of Frank Woods in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War? Are you disappointed about the game’s new voice cast? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
