Steve Buscemi joins the Far Cry TV series
Steve Buscemi has been cast in FX's upcoming Far Cry series, giving the video game adaptation one of the most recognizable character actors in television. Buscemi — an eight-time Emmy nominee best known for playing Nucky Thompson in Boardwalk Empire — joins a cast that already includes Rob McElhenney and Lizzy Caplan. No release date has been set, but the series is confirmed for Hulu in the US and Disney+ internationally.
The pedigree
Noah Hawley, the showrunner behind Fargo and Alien: Earth, is directing the first two episodes. Buscemi's connection to Hawley runs deep: he appeared in the 1996 Coen Brothers film Fargo, which Hawley later adapted into the acclaimed FX anthology series. His résumé also includes Reservoir Dogs and The Big Lebowski — films that built his reputation for playing off-kilter, memorable roles. McElhenney, known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Mythic Quest, is co-writing the series and serving as executive producer alongside his starring role.
Production is set for Pinewood Studios, with filming expected to begin in fall 2026, per Deadline.
Not a game adaptation
Hawley has been clear that the series won't retell the plot of any specific Far Cry game. Each season will follow different characters in a different setting — an anthology model similar to Fargo or True Detective. The Far Cry franchise has sold to over 100 million players according to Ubisoft, giving the show a massive built-in audience — but Hawley's goal is to use the brand's spirit rather than its storylines. That approach gives the writers room to sidestep some of the narrative criticism the games have attracted over the years.
What to watch for
No premiere date or episode count has been announced. The casting of Buscemi alongside McElhenney and Caplan suggests FX is positioning Far Cry as prestige television — a deliberate play to replicate the crossover success Amazon's Fallout series achieved in 2024. Whether Hawley can pull together a coherent world from source material that spans jungles, open oceans, and rogue states is the bigger question. For now, the talent roster is a strong opening argument.
