God of War Game Actor Has Perfect Response to Kratos TV Show Casting

Amazon Prime is in the process of establishing itself as the go-to platform for stellar video game adaptations. The streamer already has the critically acclaimed Fallout under its belt, and there are some other high-profile series on the way, including a live-action Tomb Raider show starring Sophie Turner and takes on Mass Effect and Life Is Strange. One of the biggest projects Prime has coming through its pipeline is a live-action God of War series, which will primarily draw from the franchise’s two Norse-era games. Recently, it was announced that Ryan Hurst has been cast as Kratos on the show, and now the actor who brought Kratos to life on PlayStation has the perfect response.

On X, Christopher Judge quote-tweeted Santa Monica Studio’s announcement of the Hurst casting to share his reaction to the news. Quoting arguably Kratos’ most famous line from the 2018 God of War game, Judge expressed his enthusiasm. Check out his post in the space below:

Why Ryan Hurst Will Be a Great Kratos On God of War

It’s nice to see Judge cast a vote of support for his God of War Ragnarok co-star (Hurst portrayed Thor in that game, earning much acclaim for his performance), and a lot of fans will probably agree with his sentiment. Hurst may not have been the first name to come to mind when considering Kratos possibilities, but he’s an inspired choice who should prove to be a strong asset for the series. Hurst has earned recognition for his performances in fan-favorite TV shows like Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead, demonstrating a mix of qualities that will be a great fit for Kratos. The Norse games stood out by evolving Kratos as a character, tapping into a more emotional and vulnerable side while still leaning into his trademark rage when necessary. Hurst should be able to provide a compelling blend of these aspects, crafting a well-rounded protagonist.

It certainly helps that Hurst has portrayed this kind of character before. While there are some notable differences between Kratos and Thor, Hurst has already proven himself more than capable of playing a powerful god. For his performance in God of War Ragnarok, Hurst did a great job showcasing the various layers of Thor, crafting a three-dimensional character that strongly resonated with players. Ragnarok‘s take on Thor is a tragic figure haunted by regret. In that respect, Thor gives Hurst a solid template to draw from when portraying Kratos; in the modern God of War games, Kratos is trying to change and be better.

Read Next

7 PS4 Games That Defined the 2010s

At one point, Judge himself was campaigning for a chance to play Kratos in live-action, but that obviously didn’t pass. He seems to be taking the development in stride, and it’ll be interesting to see if Judge becomes involved with the God of War TV show in some capacity. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for the series’ creative team to give him and/or Sunny Suljic (who played Kratos’ son Atreus) a cameo as an Easter egg for gamers to appreciate. HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us did something similar by casting Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson for smaller on-screen roles. It would be nice to see Judge appear as a way of honoring the franchise’s legacy.

With Hurst now onboard, the ball should get rolling on God of War casting. Kratos was obviously the most important role to fill, and now the creative team can turn their attention to the other key parts. Finding the right person to play Atreus will be a big challenge, especially since working with younger actors always comes with a risk. But in landing on Hurst as Kratos, the God of War showrunners have demonstrated they’ll leave no stone unturned during their search, and it’ll be exciting to see who else joins him for the series.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!