Production is already underway on the God of War live-action TV series for Prime Video, and the proof came today with a first look at the main characters.
Prime Video released this image today featuring Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus, depicting one of the earliest scenes from the 2018 PS4 God of War “reboot” that took the angry Spartan and put him into the role of a father in ancient Norse mythology.
And yep, that’s definitely Kratos and Atreus! I thought it was pretty cool to see these characters come to life, but the reactions on social media are overall rather negative (can you believe it?!), with some comparing it to a cosplay and others questioning if it’s AI-generated. And I kind of understand, because it just may be a case of these sorts of visuals not translating well to live-action, regardless of how accurate the costumes and makeup may be.
Prime Video has done a very solid job with the Fallout series, so I have faith that this show will also be done properly, especially considering the amazing cast thus far. Beyond Hurst and Vinson, the show also stars Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, and even voice actor Alastair Duncan returning to play Mimir.
Obviously, it boils down to how the game’s story is adapted, written, and filmed, but as a first impression, I’m pretty happy with how the actors look. I think Kratos’s beard could be a bit burlier and thicker, and Callum Vinson does look a bit young to play Atreus, but I think the costumes look pretty spot-on.
“Ex-Spartan warrior Kratos becomes the ruthless God of War himself after exacting his revenge on Ares who killed his loved ones under the deity’s influence,” the show’s synopsis on IMDB reads. “However, he constantly looks for a chance to change his fate.”
And this gives me hope, too. Kratos’s era as the angry, murderous Spartan warrior is important for his backstory, so glazing over it would be a concern. For now, it doesn’t seem that will be the case, so I hope that the show utilizes flashbacks to show some of the most important moments from his past, like losing his wife and daughter.
Of course, there are concerns with how the show may end up. But either way, I’m choosing to be positive and hopeful that this God of War adaptation will be enjoyable whenever it releases.
