The Far Cry series was built off the back of its unforgettable villains, and although it has stumbled on that front with recent entries, its last entry, 2021’s Far Cry 6 changed things up in the villain department in a major way.
For the sixth game, the series broke new ground by casting Giancarlo Esposito, as the game’s central antagonist, Anton Castillo. However, according to narrative director Navid Khavari, the team knew that Anton had to be a person of color before Esposito was even cast.
Ubisoft Had Some Priorities In Mind For Anton
Speaking with Screen Rant, Khavari shed light on the evolution of Anton Castillo, saying “Anton took a whole lot of different shapes and forms, and there’s a lot of pitches at the bottom of the drawer that I’ll save for other games.“
The last bit of the comment is intriguing, as it could mean we might see Anton again in a future Far Cry game, or maybe a villain based on one of the shelved pitches for him. However, Khavari noted that some key aspects of Anton remained constant:
We did a wide casting net, but we started to hone in on knowing that Anton was going to be a father, knowing that we wanted someone with the versatility to switch from charismatic to staring into your soul terrifyingly, and we started to land on Anton as a person of color.
While Esposito wasn’t the initial plan, the character development seemingly began to mold itself around his potential. Khavari reveals, “Giancarlo was always there as a dream casting, but then suddenly, something happens where you realize you’re writing to his voice on the page.“
Far Cry 6 Writers Tailored The Villain To Esposito’s Talents
The writers molding the character’s personality and mannerisms around Esposito’s strengths as an actor speak to how talented he is, and how he was a perfect fit for the role. Khavari acknowledged the pressure that came with this realization:
And then it becomes a little scary, because you’re like, ‘Oh, my God. I hope he is wanting to do this, otherwise, we might be in trouble.’
Thankfully, their hopes were realized. It took a four-hour meeting with Esposito, but they finally had him on board. This casting choice not only brought one of the most beloved actors of the decade to the game, but also signified a step forward in representation within the gaming industry.
Traditionally, villains in video games, especially major franchises like Far Cry, have leaned heavily towards white male characters. Far Cry 6, though, breaks the mold with a person of color at the forefront of the game’s conflict.
Esposito brilliantly portrayed the depth and complexity of Anton Castillo as a character, although his screentime left much to be desired. Nevertheless, Far Cry embracing the ideals of diversity for one of its defining factors will lead to more varied and interesting villains in future entries, for sure.
