Casting Kratos For The God Of War TV Show

God of War‘s Kratos is one of the most iconic protagonists in the history of video games, and finding the perfect actor for the role will be no easy feat. Indeed, Amazon’s ambitious plan to adapt one of the most influential and longest-running video game franchises in history hinges on finding an actor who can convincingly portray a truly complex and conflicted character. Amazon’s Kratos doesn’t just need to be physically imposing. He needs to be able to inhabit the central figure of a unique franchise that has revolutionized the way in which, not just video games, but all other media gleans inspiration from epic mythological stories.

God of War was first released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, birthing the definitive Greek mythology-inspired first era of the franchise. Spanning a total of seven games and lasting from 2005 to 2015, the first era tells the story of how Kratos becomes the Ghost of Sparta, ascends to godhood to replace Ares, and murders the entire Greek pantheon of gods in a quest for vengeance. 2018 marks the beginning of the franchise’s second era, which is inspired by Norse mythology. After the events of God of War III, 2018’s God of War follows Kratos as he tries but ultimately fails to escape his own divinity in the Norse realm of Midgard. It’s here that Kratos finds his humanity and comes to terms with his god-killing past. As a video game franchise, God of War carries itself exceptionally well amid an entertainment market that’s already saturated with Norse mythology, Greek gods, and other fantastical creatures and stories based on foundational western folklore.

While God of War‘s first era rehashed Greek mythology by giving the gods a taste of their own vengeful medicine, the second era cleverly filled in the missing details of the ancient poems which comprise Norse mythology. Whoever plays Kratos in Amazon’s God of War must be ready to be at the center of this unique amalgamation of epics. Here are several actors who might just have what it takes to ascend to godhood and take the throne of the God of War.

Dave Bautista

More popularly known as Drax the Destroyer from the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy and the Beast Rabban Harkonnen from 2021’s Dune, actor and fan favorite Dave Bautista is a shoo-in for the role of Kratos. Apart from Bautista’s muscle-bound but agile physicality, he’s the perfect age for portraying the Ghost of Sparta. Dave Bautista’s extensive filmography also shows that he’s more than ready to become the central figure in Amazon’s God of War. Although Bautista first became famous as a professional wrestler in the WWE, he has since taken on a variety of roles that show off his range and screen presence. In many ways, Bautista’s entire career has been a long build-up to him finally taking on the mantle of the God of War.

Jason Momoa

Kratos’ feats of strength are only matched by his godlike agility, and actor Jason Momoa has both in spades. Because of his age and overall look, Momoa might be more suited for playing a younger Kratos during the first era of God of War, which is arguably the franchise’s bloodier and more brutal era. In terms of acting ability, Momoa’s roles as Duncan Idaho in Dune, Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, and Aquaman in the DCEU shows that he could be ready for the much more complex and dynamic demands of inhabiting Kratos in Amazon’s God of War. Stepping into Kratos’ boots could be what pushes Momoa to fully develop the acting chops to match his A-list status.

Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson

Physically, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, internationally known by the English transliteration Hafthor, already looks very much like the God of War. In this list of gigantic strong men, Hafthor dwarfs them all. Before he became an actor, Hafthor was a celebrated figure in the world of strongman contests. In fact, Hafthor is the first-ever strongman to hold the top titles for the Arnold Strongman Classic, World’s Strongest Man, and Europe’s Strongest Man within the same year. Hafthor’s mainstream success came by way of the pivotal book-based fantasy series Game of Thrones, in which he famously played Gregor Clegane, also known as “The Mountain,” a dishonorable knight known for having the brutality to match his epic strength. Since then, Hafthor has only had a couple more onscreen roles in films like Pharaoh’s War and Kickboxer: Retaliation. Although Hafthor’s acting experience is limited, he always steals the spotlight anytime he appears onscreen, even when he has zero dialogue. Moreover, given Hafthor’s elite athletic pedigree, it’s clear that he has the discipline and dedication necessary to inhabit a character like Kratos.

Christopher Judge

There might be no other actor who’s better suited to playing Kratos than Christopher Judge, the man who actually voiced Kratos in 2018’s God of War. Judge is a veteran actor who came to prominence for his role as Teal’c from the now-ended Stargate sci-fi franchise. Apart from already inhabiting the role of Kratos during the years-long production of God of War, Judge has also provided the voice for other strong characters like Oreskis in Final Space and T’Challa in Marvel’s Avengers. Moreover, Judge’s physical build also matches his epic voice work, which means that he might not even have to bulk up any further for the role. After lending his voice to the God of War, it only seems right for Judge to be given the opportunity to inhabit the character onscreen.

Mars Crain

Since 2008, actor Mars Crain has played minor roles in various series and movies such as House, Key and Peele, Hello Herman, Love & Teleportation, and Hancock, in which Crain shared casting credits with the likes of Will Smith and Oscar-winner Charlize Theron. Today, Crain is perhaps most famous for voicing the iconic character Barret Wallace in Final Fantasy VII: The Web Series, in which Crain shows off his dynamic range as an actor. Although Crain snagged most of his roles as “Security Guard” or “Door Guy” because of his extremely intimidating physique, he has successfully spun these minor roles into a legitimate acting career. If Amazon is looking for a relatively unknown and fresh face to play Kratos in the series version of God of War, perhaps it’s time to give the talented Mars Crain the role of his life.

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