Fans have been asking for a live-action God of War movie for the longest time, and most will agree that Jason Momoa seems perfect for the Kratos role.
Video game film adaptations have always been a tricky subject. On the one hand, video games base most of their value as an art form on the way how players interact with their virtual worlds — an interaction that is sadly missing from cinema so far. This might be why so many video game movies end up feeling so out of touch with their target audience.
That said, as video games get more and more complex, there’s been a push for turning some of the most iconic franchises in gaming into “cinematic experiences” — and none of them has taken this concept closer to heart than the 2018’s God of War reboot.
Previously, the God of War series was popular for its action-heavy hack and slash gameplay and its over-the-top violence. However, the reboot toned down much of the game’s gorier aspects, relying on a more concise narrative with some pretty mature tones, essentially breathing new life into the character.
This new version of Kratos is undeniably more “cinematic” than it once was. While it would be unfair to call the Kratos from the original God of War trilogy shallow, there’s no denying that the 2018 reboot bestowed upon him a renewed sentimentality that was previously omitted from the character.
Kratos is now, more than ever, a tragic and flawed character. After achieving his lifelong goal of defeating the Olympians, he sets his aims on trying to live a new life, which leads us to the current God of War timeline.
Even if video games are becoming increasingly cinematic, major studios insist on producing live-action adaptations of some of the most iconic pieces of gaming media. Considering we just got an Uncharted film, it seems obvious to think that God of War might be one of Sony’s next franchises to get the big-screen treatment.
That sounds great and all, but going back to the case of Uncharted, hardly anyone would consider Tom Holland an adequate actor for the role of Nathan Drake. Granted, the film had other major issues that ensured its poor reception at the box office, but casting the right guy for your film’s starring role goes a long way with fans of the franchise you’re trying to adapt. That’s why we believe that Jason Momoa would be the only logical choice to cast as Kratos in the inevitable God of War live-action flick.
Some fans might think that, given Kratos’ complexion and his signature chrome dome, maybe someone like Dwayne Johnson might also be a great pick for the role, but Momoa has The Rock beaten in a key aspect that’s as integral to Kratos as his muscles are: his commanding voice.
Dwayne Johnson’s dulcet tones might fit well when he’s singing in Moana, but only Jason Momoa could replicate Christopher Judge’s now-iconic “BOY!” with the same passive-aggressiveness as 2018’s Kratos could.
After seeing Jason Momoa starring in macho roles like Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, and the titular character in Aquaman, seeing him as the live-action version of the Ghost of Sparta would be a delight for comic book and fantasy fans everywhere.
There’s just one minor issue with casting Momoa as Kratos: the actor would have to part ways — at least temporarily — with his glorious mane. Is that a sacrifice that we, as a society, are willing to make just to see a live-action version of Kratos make his way into theatres? Perhaps Kratos would look better with Jason Momoa’s hair, right? After all, it would fit much better with the whole “Viking” setting that the new games have. Just a thought.
Other actors who have been suggested include Gerard Butler, Triple H, Dave Bautista, Travis Fimmel and Djimon Hounsou.