It hasn’t been an easy ride for Amazon Studios since they announced they’d helm the God of War adaptation. At first, fans of the long-running game series were wildly excited, but when the casting announcements were made, followed by those now-infamous first-look photos, that excitement dwindled into nerves and, occasionally, flat-out anger at some of the choices being made with the IP. And it turns out that casual fans aren’t the only ones with concerns. Things seemed to start turning around when it was announced that Dave Bautista would be signing on for the project, but is that enough to save the show before it even gets off the ground?
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Speaking about the God of War series, but also about video game adaptations at large, Christopher Judge, who was not only the voice of Kratos in the games, but also did the motion capture for the character, slammed studios for not involving those who brought the original story to life in future adaptations. At FanExpo back in May, the actor said, “My problem with all gaming adaptations is you have this pre-existing, successful property, and the first thing you do is not hire anyone associated with it. I don’t understand that.”
Is It the Right Call to Not Use the Built-In Success of Existing Games in Their Adaptations?
According to Judge, other voice actors, mo-cap professionals, and fans, the answer is a resounding “no.” Elaborating on his feelings surrounding the announcement of a God of War television series, Judge said, “When it was finally approved and announced, and they didn’t hire any of the God of War writers, I was like, ‘What are you thinking?’ These guys have been immersed in this world for 20 years. But someone’s going to know better? That thinking just drives me bonkers. You have the chance to bring this great fandom with you, who will give you a shot to get better. Now, you better be great out of the gate. Or we’re all leaving.”
It’s a question that’s long been discussed, especially as more games get adapted and other huge-name games, like Baldur’s Gate 3, are hyped by fans for their time on the small screen. It seems the general consensus among fans and in the video game world is that hiring the people who made the original stories so beloved and iconic should be the first consideration when adapting the IP.
In response to the idea that he was simply looking to be cast as Kratos now that Ryan Hurst had to leave the project due to an onset injury, Judge said on August 13th, “I truly hope they find someone as great as Ryan. I was talking more about our writers and devs. I really want them to get the love and respect they deserve. I hope that for all writers and developers of the games that we love. No disrespect to TV and film writers. I had some of the best on Stargate.” And fans, in large part, agree with Judge’s take, believing that it’s the original minds behind the stories they love so much that would drive them to greater success while keeping the narrative at large in line with the original vision in a way that so many adaptations choose to stray from.
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