What just happened? Amazon MGM Studios has cast Kratos for its God of War Prime Video series. The role will be played by someone familiar with the franchise: Ryan Hurst, the Sons of Anarchy actor who voiced Thor in God of War Ragnarök.
Much like when Netflix was deciding who would play Geralt of Rivia, there's been a lot of speculation and suggestions around who would fill the hulking demigod's large boots.
Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, and the Olivier Richters – the Dutch giant from Reacher season 3 who makes a very convincing Kratos – had all been fan favorites for the role. It seems few expected Hurst to be the final choice.
He might not have Richters' 7-foot 2-inch frame, but Hurst still stands at a suitably imposing 6-foot-4. He's best known for playing Opie in Sons of Anarchy and Beta in The Walking Dead, so he's likely to have the physical aspect nailed. He also sports a suitable beard.
It's interesting to see Amazon cast someone who's previously appeared in a God of War game: Hurst was excellent as Thor in 2022's God of War Ragnarök, a performance that earned him a BAFTA Award nomination.
Pre-production on the God of War series is currently underway in Vancouver as casting for other roles continues. The show has received a two-season order, which is good, as it suggests there will be an extensive story.
The series closely follows the previous two games as Kratos deals with his son and shouts "Boy!" quite a lot. It will follow the pair as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of Faye, Kratos's wife and Atreus's mother
TV shows and movies based on video games aren't as risky as they once were. The Last of Us has proved a critical and commercial success, as has Amazon's Fallout and the animated Arcane series on Netflix. Most people like the first couple (at least) of seasons of The Witcher, too.
There are still flops, of course – just look at the Resident Evil series on Netflix that was canceled after one very unpopular season.
God of War lost its original showrunner and a number of executives in 2024 as the project took "a different creative direction." Let's hope it still lives up to expectations and can match the excellent Fallout.