Prime Video has already given God of War fans several reasons to be optimistic about its upcoming live-action show based on Sony’s hit video game franchise. However, one particular detail currently stands above the rest: the casting of Ryan Hurst as God of War‘s Kratos.
Hurst previously played Thor in God of War Ragnarok, which makes his live-action casting as Kratos more interesting than it may first appear. On the surface, the choice seems straightforward: Hurst has the size, voice, and overall screen presence needed to play a character as imposing as Kratos. What makes this casting decision especially compelling, however, is more thematic than physical.
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Ryan Hurst Already Played One of Kratos’s Most Important Foils in God of War Ragnarok
God of War Ragnarok has no shortage of powerful foes standing in Kratos’s way, and Thor is certainly one of them. But he is also something else: a thematic foil to Kratos. Both characters are violent gods with long histories of bloodshed, and both have been weaponized by cruel powers. Both are also fathers whose families have been shaped and torn apart by the damage they helped create. Thor is, in essence, a clear warning of what Kratos could become if he fails Atreus. Hurst gave a powerful performance that underscored that point, eliciting widespread praise from fans.
Hurst’s history with the God of War franchise makes his casting as Kratos particularly compelling. His Thor represents a darker version of the central question that defines Norse-era Kratos: can a brutal man stop his worst traits from becoming his child’s inheritance? For Kratos, that question is tied to Atreus. For Thor, it is tied to the children and family he has already hurt, directly or indirectly, through years of obedience, anger, and violence. Thor is not Kratos, but he reflects him in ways that matter, and he shows the kind of ruin Kratos is trying to avoid.
God of War TV Show Is Skipping Straight to the Story Hurst Is Most Familiar With
Prime Video Won’t Be Adapting the Greek Era, At Least for the Time Being
This does not mean Prime Video cast Hurst as Kratos because he is expected to replicate his Thor performance, or even deliver a similar one. However, the 49-year-old actor had never played the God of War games before voicing Thor, yet still delivered one of Ragnarok‘s most memorable performances. Now that he is significantly more familiar with the source material, characters, and central themes, he is well-positioned to bring similar dramatic weight to the upcoming live-action adaptation. That context is especially relevant because Prime Video’s series is already confirmed to be skipping God of War‘s Greek era and going straight to the Norse saga. As a result, Hurst should soon revisit many of the same thematic conflicts and character dynamics he once explored as Thor, only now from Kratos’s side of the story.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Whether Hurst’s performance as Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War reaches the same level as his portrayal of Thor should become clear relatively soon, as the upcoming series began filming in Vancouver in March 2026. The current schedule lists principal photography through April 7, 2027. However, that lengthy timeline is largely due to Prime Video shooting two seasons back-to-back, meaning Season 1 could still feasibly premiere by late 2027.