The God of War Cometh: Ryan Hurst Cast as Kratos in Amazon’s Epic Two-Season Mythology Series
In a casting decision that feels both audacious and oddly inevitable, Ryan Hurst has been tapped to embody Kratos in Prime Video’s highly anticipated adaptation of PlayStation’s “God of War.” The announcement marks a homecoming of sorts for the actor, who previously voiced Thor in the game “God of War Ragnarök”—a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination. Now, he ascends to lead the pantheon.
The series, which has secured an unprecedented two-season order from Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television, enters pre-production in Vancouver with a pedigree that reads like a prestige television wish list. Ronald D. Moore—the visionary behind “Outlander” and “For All Mankind”—serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer, ensuring this won’t be just another game-to-screen casualty.
At its core, “God of War” is a meditation on masculinity, mythology, and redemption wrapped in epic violence. The narrative follows Kratos and his ten-year-old son Atreus on a deceptively simple quest: spreading the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. But nothing is simple when you’re a Spartan warrior who bartered his soul to Ares, the Greek God of War, in exchange for battlefield supremacy.
Over ten successful games, Kratos has evolved from vengeful destroyer to reluctant father figure—a character arc that transformed him into a pop culture icon defined by stoic intensity, unmatched combat prowess, and a tragic past that would make Greek tragedy playwrights weep. The television adaptation will focus on this father-son dynamic, the emotional heartbeat of the franchise’s recent installments, as Kratos attempts to teach Atreus divinity while learning humanity in return.
Hurst brings formidable credentials to this monumental role. Best known as the beloved Opie Winston in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy,” he’s demonstrated remarkable range across fan-favorite properties including “The Walking Dead,” “Bates Motel,” and “Bosch.” Most recently, he reunited with Kurt Sutter for Netflix’s “The Abandons” as series lead Miles Alderton. This summer, audiences will see him in Christopher Nolan’s Trojan War epic “The Odyssey,” premiering July seventeenth—a fortuitous coincidence given the mythological territory he’ll inhabit as Kratos.
The production boasts an impressive roster of executive producers including Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, and Matthew Graham, with PlayStation Productions intimately involved to ensure authentic translation from console to screen. Frederick E.O. Toye, whose directorial work on “Shōgun” and “The Boys” demonstrates his ability to balance spectacle with character, will helm the first two episodes.
In Hurst’s hands, the God of War finally has a mortal vessel—one capable of channeling both divine rage and paternal tenderness.
