Ryan Hurst cast as Kratos in Prime Video adaptation of PlayStation series God of War

Ryan Hurst has been cast as Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War series, which has received two-season order

Ryan Hurst has been cast as Kratos in Prime Video’s upcoming live-action series God of War, produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions.

The series, based on the PlayStation video game franchise rooted in ancient mythology, has received a two-season order, with pre-production currently underway in Vancouver.

God of War is written, showrun and executive produced by Ronald D. Moore, whose previous credits include Outlander and For All Mankind.

The series centres on Kratos and his son Atreus as they embark on a journey to scatter the ashes of Kratos’s wife and Atreus’s mother, Faye. Over the course of their travels, Kratos attempts to teach his son how to be a better god, while Atreus seeks to show his father how to be more human.

Kratos, the central figure of the franchise, is Spartan by birth and a god by nature. Raised in a militaristic culture, he rose through the ranks to command armies before making a pact with Ares, the Greek God of War. That deal ensured victory in battle at the cost of his soul.

Across 10 games, Kratos has fought mortals, monsters and gods, becoming a widely recognised character known for his stoicism, combat ability and tragic history.

The television adaptation will closely follow the storyline of the two most recent games, which introduced a renewed focus on Kratos’s relationship with his young son. This father-and-son dynamic is expected to form the emotional core of the series.

Hurst previously appeared in the God of War universe, voicing Thor in God of War Ragnarök, a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination.

His television credits include Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, Bosch and Bates Motel. He will next appear in Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey, scheduled for release on July 17.

Executive producers on the series include Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar and Asad Qizilbash, among others. Frederick E.O. Toye is set to direct the first two episodes.