At this point, Pedro Pascal could deliver a monologue in a paper bag, and I’d be seated. This summer alone, he’s been in some of my favorite films: Materialists, Eddington, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Three massive, totally different roles, all anchored by that same sleepy-eyed intensity and inexplicable ability to make even the most ridiculous exposition sound soulful.
He’s not just in his era; he is the era. Yet, with all this Pascal content flooding screens, I can’t help but wonder: why isn’t this man leading a game yet?
Keanu Reeves did it withCyberpunk 2077. Idris Elba followed suit inPhantom Liberty. Norman Reedus has stayed doing it since the firstDeath Strandingand The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct. It just feels like the perfect time. Pascal’s already got the fanbase, the voice, the range, and the digital double potential. So why hasn’t someone at Remedy, Santa Monica, or …anyone given him a headset and a mo-cap suit?
Like, Kojima, babe. Call him.
The Overexposed Argument Is Tired
Listen, I know the counterargument. I, too,am a patron of the internet. “He’s overexposed.” “He’s in everything.” “We get it, he’s a zaddy.” Trust me, I’ve seen the tweets - the ones that say his ubiquity is starting to feel like algorithmic casting, or that he’s gone from beloved character actor to meme thirst trap. But here’s the thing: the overexposure argument only works if the performances don’t hit. And Pedro? Still hitting. Still bringing an emotional weight to roles that could easily feel empty.
Honestly, if there’s one place where we could use more of that effortlessness, it’s video games.
The gaming industry has quietly become one of the best places for cinematic storytelling, and actors are treating it that way. Games aren’t just side hustles for paycheck voiceover work anymore. They’re full-blown performances, often more immersive and layered than what you’ll find in a two-hour film.The Last of Usis a prime example. So are Death Stranding,God of War Ragnarok, andAlan Wake 2.
I Can Skip The Popcorn
Now imagine one of those games, but with Pedro Pascal at the center. Maybe he’s an astronaut with a mysterious past, or an ex-revolutionary searching for redemption. Something quiet, brooding, maybe just a little camp. The man was born to grunt emotionally in a cutscene while holding a photograph of a lost loved one.
More importantly, his presence would continue to legitimize this beautiful convergence we’re seeing between film and games. We’re long past the era of ‘games trying to be movies.’ They are movies, just interactive ones. And actors like Pedro, who straddle that line between mainstream appeal and emotional nuance, are exactly what pushes that evolution forward.
So no, I don’t think we’ve had too much of Pedro Pascal. I think we haven’t deployed him creatively enough, or at least not in all the right ways yet.
When that time comes, when we’re holding down L2 to aim as Pedro Pascal mutters something devastating about love and loss, I’ll be there. Probably crouching behind cover. Probably crying. And I bet you will too.
