The First Look at Live-Action Kratos Just Got Roasted by a God of War Creator

Video game adaptations are having a moment. Between HBO’s The Last of Us and Sony’s push to bring its biggest gaming franchises to screens, it was only a matter of time before God of War joined the list. But the first glimpse of Amazon’s live-action Kratos has already sparked debate — and even one of the franchise’s original creators isn’t impressed.

How the 2018 God of War Reboot Reinvented the Legendary Franchise

Video game films and TV adaptations have always been tricky subjects. On the one hand, video games base most of their value as an art form on 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 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.

How the God of War Reboot Transformed Kratos Into a Deeper 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.

Why Hollywood Keeps Turning Popular Video Games Into Live-Action Movies and TV Shows

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 the Uncharted film with Tom Holland and even HBO’s The Last of Us, it seemed obvious to think that God of War might be one of Sony’s next franchises to get the big-screen or small-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.

God of War Creator David Jaffe Roasts Amazon’s First Look at Live-Action Kratos

Amazon dropped a first look at its God of War series on February 27. And most people hated it. Even David Jaffe, the creator behind the original God of War (2005) and God of War II (2007), jumped into the conversation. On YouTube the next day, he looked at the teaser image of Kratos and Atreus and laughed before calling it “bad in so many ways.”

Jaffe didn’t hold back. “I’m sure everybody’s trying real hard, [but] it’s so dumb,” he said.

David Jaffe Still Believes the Live-Action God of War TV Series Could Be Great

Jaffe wasn’t attacking the show itself. The adaptation, announced by Amazon in 2022, follows the newer Norse-era storyline from God of War Ragnarök, with Kratos raising his son Atreus after leaving the Greek gods behind. Ryan Hurst plays Kratos, while 10-year-old Callum Vinson takes on Atreus

Jaffe actually sounds hopeful about the series. He called showrunner Ronald D. Moore a “juggernaut of a talented fellow,” pointing to Outlander, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek.

His problem is the photo choice. “Kratos in this pose with this expression… he just looks stupid,” Jaffe said, also mocking the “styrofoam rock” in the background and the “tons of product” in Atreus’ hair.

He’s not wrong. But fans have taken issue with the way Kratos looks here. While Hurst is a great actor, who can certainly pull off the acting bits, he simply doesn’t look like Kratos here. Not in his build and not in the look.

Did they cast the wrong actor?

Why Many Fans Think Jason Momoa Would Be the Perfect Live-Action Kratos

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 sings in Moana, but only Jason Momoa could replicate Christopher Judge’s now-iconic “BOY!” with the same passive-aggressiveness as 2018’s Kratos.

After seeing Jason Momoa (who wanted to play The Crow) starring in macho roles like Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, the titular character in Aquaman and now the DCU’s Lobo, 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.

What We Expect To See In Amazon Prime Video’s God Of War Live-Action TV Series

If The Boys and The Terminal List are anything to go by, Amazon Prime Video can produce some of the most visually stunning TV shows in the streaming business. A God of War show would certainly have to be a visual tour de force, but it also would have to remain faithful to its source material.

Paramount+’s Halo series, for example, featured some well-known weapons and armour from the games – but they weren’t treated with the respect that long-time fans expected. For instance, who could forget Master Chief taking his helmet off every two sentences?

Making a God of War show look good isn’t just about having decent amounts of blood and violence: it’s also about nailing the overall look and tone of the games. Again, God of War is an entirely different entity in the Greek and Norse settings, but, at the very least, having a Kratos that behaves like he should would be a step in the right direction for the series.

Should the Live-Action God of War Series Follow the Games or Tell a New Story?

This might be the most challenging decision when talking about a potential God of War series: should the producers adapt what is in the games, or should we get an entirely new story set in the same universe as the games? While nothing will ever top the fever dream that was the original Super Mario Bros. movie, it seems like many video game live-action adaptations go for a story that’s not told in the games. It happened in the Uncharted film and plenty of other video game adaptations, and it might happen again in the God of War series.

A new plot would mean that the Prime Video adaptation would be relatively safe from most unfavourable comparisons. If the show doesn’t look or feel like the games, it’s because it never wanted to. However, that would be a double-edged sword. Sure, some fans might be excited about the possibility of the live-action show going in an entirely new direction for the series – but, at the same time, that would defy some of the conceptions we have of live-action adaptations as a whole.

Whatever the case might be, these are exciting times for PlayStation fans. With Sony’s efforts to bring some of its most popular franchises to the realm of live-action entertainment the gaming giant might soon become a force to be reckoned with in the world of mainstream TV entertainment.