I originally toyed with casting Dane DeHaan as Dante, but it occurred to me that the actor was just too wiry and non-threatening for the part. Though the Dante we see in 2013's reboot is a pretty skinny lad, he still has this intensity which I'm not quite sure DeHaan would be able to fully harness in such a role. Aaron Paul on the other hand has the boyish youthfulness needed for the part, and also the goofy cockiness to pull off Dante's arrogant demeanour. Paul is no doubt looking to break into big Hollywood pictures now that his career on Breaking Bad is over, and given that he's about to star in the Need for Speed movie, he can't be particularly averse to video game adaptations. Plus, if a first DmC goes well, there's so much lore to draw from for a giant, money-making franchise. Why not, Aaron?