In a recent interview, actor Giancarlo Esposito was discussing processes for acting in motion capture forThe Mandalorian. During that portion of the discussion, Esposito specifically mentions a “huge” video game he’s working on that he can’t discuss. Rumors flew for a while until a new report seemingly confirmed that game wasFar Cry 6. The article has since been taken down so it may be false, but it’s impossible not to wonder what Esposito could bring to the table as a villain in the insane franchise.
Since the humble beginnings of the franchise, varying degrees of insanity have been prevalent throughout eachFar Crygame.Far Cry 3took this even further with its iconic villain Vaas, placing a pivotal and charismatic character as the source of the game’s unpredictability. SubsequentFar Crygames have turned this into a staple for the series, and for good reason. Assuming the formerBreaking Badstar is to become the villain forFar Cry 6, here’s what he could bring to the table.
Esposito’s Acting Chops
For starters, Esposito has already depicted several iconic villains on both TV and film previously, ranging from Moff Gideon inThe MandaloriantoGustavo Fring inBreaking Bad. Fans recognize Esposito for his calm and collected demeanor based on his iconicBreaking Badcharacter Gus Fring, but he’s taken on other roles that reflect a more charismatic side of Esposito that’s not often recognized. One particular example is his clever and boisterous character Buggin' Out from Spike Lee’sDo the Right Thing.
Where Gus Fring was a calculated and intelligent character, Buggin' Out was an energetic and outspoken character. Esposito embodied a character inDo the Right Thing, which came out in 1989, that represented a polar opposite of Gustavo Fring. His brashness and argumentative nature was what made Buggin' Out’s character so endearing, using his wit to challenge what he saw as wrong. Esposito has the potential to craft characters that vary far beyond his most recent work, and is something he could certainly draw from should hetake on a villainous role inFar Cry 6.
Far Cry Villains: Innovative Unpredictability
Villains in theFar Cryseries have seen plenty of variety over the years, with a Gus Fring-like caricature in the Jackal fromFar Cry 2. There’s also been characters like Michael Mando’s Vaas, easily the most popularFar Cryvillain in the series thus far who embodied the iconic insanity fans have come to love.Troy Baker’s Pagan Min fromFar Cry 4represents a charismatic middle-ground between these two, borrowing the explosive anger from Vaas' personality and mixing it in with a bubbly attitude.Far Cry 5’s brothers and sisters of the Seed family each embody different arms of a totalitarian religious cult, ranging from militaristic warmonger to a prophetic savior complex.
Far Cryhas experimented with a variety of different villain archetypes, each with a unique twinge of derangement. These villains continuously poke and jab at the player in different ways, shocking and surprising fans with their unpredictability. While a lot of these roles have fallen victim to stereotypes, like how Vaas' villainy is undercut by Hoyt Volker’s second act and Jason Brody’s own insanity, each role has served as a breakout performance. Fans enjoy recentFar Crygames because of the spotlight shone on the villains and their caricatures, and the actors who embody them so well.
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Embodying a Far Cry Villain
This is a big reason why Giancarlo Esposito would be an apt pick forFar Cry 6’s villain, if true. Esposito has the breadth of experience as an actor and the pedigree to show for it with characters like Moff Gideon or Gus Fring. He’s even played a character in a video game before with his appearance as “The Dentist” inPayday 2back in 2013. Esposito’s work with character curation has resulted in some of his most fantastic roles, and withFar Cryvillains typically embodying emotional extremes, Esposito is absolutely capable of taking on a villain’s role in the series in several potential forms.
He could borrow from similar roles like Gustavo Fring and Moff Gideon and portray a character who operates under unpredictability and extremes. Alternatively he could inject aspects of charisma from personalities like Buggin' Out but in a much more sinister role akin to that of Vaas or Pagan Min.Esposito is well known for grounding and fleshing out his characters well, embodying each performance with impressive vigor. There’s plenty of options for a potentialFar Cryvillain depicted by Giancarlo Esposito, and it’d be interesting to see how that character is written and portrayed by him. He could represent a strong evolution to whatFar Cryhas successfully built upon over the last few years.
Far Cry 6is reportedly in development.
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