Michael Mando Wanted a Far Cry TV Show Years Ago: Could Vaas Still Return?

Since landing and basically shaping the character of Vaas Montenegro for Far Cry 3 back in 2012, Michael Mando has never quite let Vaas go. Over the years, he has described Vaas as his “spirit animal,” and as recently as August 2026, he called him “my little baby.” That might be particularly relevant now.

Years before FX began developing its own Far Cry TV series, Mando was already pitching Ubisoft ideas for a live-action Vaas project. And while there is currently no indication that he is involved in the new adaptation, he has made it very clear that he would still be willing to return to the role.

To say Vaas became a role made for Mando is almost certainly an understatement.

How Vaas Became Michael Mando’s Character

Vaas was originally intended to be a relatively minor character, with Mando estimating that he only had around six minutes of actual screen time in the game. But Mando’s portrayal generated such a strong reaction that Ubisoft’s plans for the character changed.

Mando took a very different approach from what was originally expected of him, improvising heavily and creating the manic, volatile performance that would eventually define Vaas. Ubisoft liked it enough that the character was effectively rebuilt around him.

Vaas ended up using Mando’s face, body, voice, and mannerisms, while Mando himself has described Vaas as a character he helped co-create.

And it is a love that seems to go both ways. Fans have never quite let go of Vaas either.

Since Far Cry 3, Mando has continued to embrace the role. He played Vaas physically in Ubisoft’s live-action The Far Cry Experience, continued sharing Vaas material and behind-the-scenes photos, interacted with fans about the character, and eventually returned almost a decade later for Far Cry 6’s Vaas: Insanity DLC and Far Cry VR.

His return for Vaas: Insanity wasn’t simply a case of turning up and reading a script, either. Mando has said he told Ubisoft he would only return if they genuinely cared about progressing the character. He was invited to give notes on the script, with the story eventually being extensively reworked in collaboration with him.

Michael Mando Already Wanted a Live-Action Vaas

The idea of a Far Cry adaptation isn’t new to Mando. Back in 2021, he revealed that he had already met with Ubisoft in Italy and pitched ideas for a Vaas film. He had also discussed the character with screenwriter Greg Russo, as well as other writers and producers in Los Angeles. At the time, Mando said there was significant interest and that he felt they were “very close” to getting something going.

Mando’s proposed stories were specifically about Vaas, rather than simply being ideas for a generic Far Cry adaptation.

One possibility was an origin story exploring how Vaas became the character we eventually meet in Far Cry 3. Mando also said he had another concept involving Vaas on a much larger, international scale.

That is very different from the limited details we have been given about FX’s Far Cry series currently in development. The new show is being developed as an anthology, with different settings and casts between seasons, rather than as a direct adaptation of one particular Far Cry game.

But it is interesting that Mando had spent years envisioning a live-action future for Far Cry and Vaas before an actual Far Cry TV series finally entered production.

Especially because he apparently still hasn’t given up on the idea.

Fans Still Want Vaas Back

Mando is far from the only person who has kept Vaas alive.

Even more than a decade after Far Cry 3, the character continues to dominate conversations about the game, and calls for Mando to return have followed the new TV adaptation almost from the moment it was announced.

Fan discussions surrounding the FX series have repeatedly circled back to Vaas, with some hoping the anthology format could eventually create an opportunity to revisit Far Cry 3 and bring Mando back with it.

That doesn’t amount to a casting rumor, of course. But it does show that there is still an audience for the character all these years later; and Mando himself seems more than willing.

Could Michael Mando Return as Vaas?

On August 5, 2026, almost exactly a year after Ubisoft first accidentally revealed the new Far Cry adaptation, Mando was asked whether he would return as Vaas for a live-action Far Cry 3 adaptation.

His answer was pretty clear: “Vaas is my little baby. Haha. I would be happy to revisit that role if the script is right.”

He then went one step further, saying he had wondered what Vaas would be like against a backdrop such as New York City, imagining him racing through traffic on a motorcycle or riding the subway.

Interestingly, that isn’t a million miles away from the larger-scale Vaas concept Mando was discussing back in 2021.

So, is this a hint that Vaas could be returning to our screens? Probably not by itself.

There have been no credible reports connecting him to the production so far, but perhaps more surprising is what Mando hasn’t said.

Despite continuing to discuss Vaas publicly, there appears to be no public comment from Mando acknowledging FX’s Far Cry adaptation at all. He hasn’t announced any involvement, praised or criticized the project, or publicly addressed whether he would like to appear in it.

That silence shouldn’t be treated as evidence of anything happening behind the scenes. But considering Mando previously spent years developing and pitching his own live-action ideas for Vaas, it is certainly curious.

One of Far Cry’s most recognizable actors spent years trying to get Vaas into a larger live-action project. Now Far Cry is actually heading to television, Mando remains openly enthusiastic about playing Vaas again, and fans are still asking for exactly that.

As things stand, though, he has not been announced as part of the series.

For now, a Vaas appearance remains fan speculation rather than a genuine casting rumor.

But if FX’s anthology ever decides to take a trip back toward the Rook Islands, Michael Mando certainly hasn’t closed the door.