One of the greatestvideo game epicsis Sony’sGod of Warseries. The company has officially announced that they intend to create a new adaptation of the series. While this used to be a terrifying concept, afterThe Last of Usproved thata video game could be masterfully adapted, it’s clear the fans everywhere should be pumped.Amazon is gearing up to make this a realityvery soon, but there are plenty of questions hanging in the air.
For instance, will the series start with the Greek saga that sees the Ghost of Sparta fighting his way to becoming the titular God of War before he ends up slaying the entire pantheon? Or will it begin with the much more cinematic Norse saga that recently wrapped up withGod of War: Ragnarok? Either way, everyone is eager to know who would be cast in the tv series. Here are ten possible casting choices for theGod of Warseries.
10Jason Momoa as Kratos
When it comes to casting Kratos himself, there is one front-runner for the job. That would be theGame of ThronesandAquamanstar,Jason Momoa. He’s got everything one would need in aGod of Warstar. If the show were to focus on the Greek era, Momoa has proven he has the intensity needed to play a true warlord capable of destroying the entire pantheon of Greek gods. His roles as Khal Drogo fromGame of Thrones,the titular character ofConan,andRonon DexfromStargate: Atlantisall prove that he has the intensity necessary to bring Kratos to life. Not to mention the fact that he’s got plenty of experience with big budget action sequences. After stopping Steppenwolf from destroying the world along with the Justice League, handling the Greek gods is no problem.
If they decide to go with the Norse saga, Momoa has proven himself in that arena too. He’s had plenty of roles that show he has the gravitas and the dramatic chops to handle the older, more seasoned god of war. Anyone who has seen him as Baba Voss onSeeor Declan Harp inFrontierknows that he can play a grittier character with no problem at all. He could definitely find 3,000 interesting ways to say “Boy!” The only problem with doing the Norse era is that they would have to age him up a little bit to play the more grizzled Kratos. That man is aging like Paul Rudd.
Related:Aquaman 3 Might Still Happen with Jason Momoa’s Future in the DCU Uncertain
9Walker Scobell as Atreus
Atreus may be the most difficult character to cast from the entire franchise. He could easily be the show’s whiniest, most annoying character. That, or he could be a wooden, dower presence in the franchise. They would need to find an actor who is effortlessly likable while also able to carry himself in dramatic scenes. There are only a few kids in the right age range who could fit that bill.
One of the best child actors around right now isWalker Scobell. He has already starred alongside the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Owen Wilson in projects likeThe Adam ProjectandSecret Headquarters.He’s also about to make headlines as the main character in Disney+’s take onPercy Jackson and the Olympians.If that goes well, it could give him enough star power to land what will be the most coveted child role in all fantasy television.
8Bill Skarsgård as Baldur
Baldur is a singular presence in the NorseGod of Wargame. He ranks alongside some of the best videogame villains like Vaas fromFar Cry 3or Sephiroth fromFinal Fantasy VII.No simple character actor could embody the quirky, creepy, terrifying nature of the seemingly-invincible Baldur. For that kind of job, you’d really have to hire one of the best villain actors working in Hollywood today.
There’s no toppingBill Skarsgårdin that department. He managed to actually top Tim Curry as the terrifying clown Pennywise in theITfilms. If he can do that, he can carry an extended fight scene where Kratos punches and kicks him through a forest with the odd monologue thrown in between bouts of fighting.
7Bill Nighy as Mimir
Mimir might just be the strangest role from the newerGod of Warfilms. He may be the wisest man in all of Midgard, but he’s also just a disembodied head who is eager to share a story, drop some hard truths, or simply make us laugh. In order to play him, you must be an actor at home with dramatic sequences, hilarious jokes, and a really strange shooting experience.
Bill Nighyhas proven himself again and again in all of these arenas. He’s made us laugh, made us cry, made us flee in terror, and delivered more than a few Oscar-worthy monologues. Of course, if he was able to play Davy Jones in thePirates of the Carribeanfranchise while wearing a ridiculous motion capture suit, then playing a disembodied head wouldn’t be strange at all.
6Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Thor
There may only be one actor who can pull ofGod of War’sgargantuan take on Thor. Chris Hemsworth may have been a pretty boy take on the most famous Norse god, but the one that Kratos fights is perhaps the exact opposite. He is a towering presence, even to someone like Kratos. One who you could easily believe would cave someone’s head in with a giant hammer.
The best actor to take on that role would be one of the strongest men to ever live,Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson. Though most people probably know him best as the final actor to play The Mountain onGame of Thrones.That and the fact that he broke a 1,000-year-old weight lifting record. Thor would definitely approve of this casting choice.
5Charles Dance as Odin
Odin is not exactly as he appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe either. Anthony Hopkins may be a little harsh, but he’s not as mysterious as theGod of Wartake on him. Nor is he as menacing, surprisingly enough. The Odin for this tv series needs to carry the same level of intensity, but must do so in a slender package. That would be absolutely no problem forCharles Dance. The actor embodied Tywin Lannister inGame of Thrones.While many other characters were technically in charge of the Seven Kingdoms, Tywin was the character pulling most of the strings throughout the first half of the series. Playing Odin would be no sweat for him at all.
4Eva Green as Freya
No character in the Norse saga goes through bigger changes than Freya does. In the first game, she is one of the fiercest allies to Kratos and Atreus. In fact, they wouldn’t have gotten far in their journey without Freya there to assist them with her wisdom and magical abilities. After it’s revealed that she’s Baldur’s mother, things take a hard turn for their relationship. She becomes one of their fiercest enemies. What thin actress with cheekbones sharper than Benedict Cumberbatch’s could embody Freya?
Eva Greencould do this no problem. She’s basically been playing characters like Freya through her whole career. What’s one more?
3Stephen Lang as Zeus
The aesthetic for the Greek gods were all drastically different back in the days of the Playstation 2 and Playstation 3. Sure, the gods all had the same gravitas that their Norse counterparts are known for. They just come in a much more muscled-up package. Pretty much every Greek god looks like they have the same workout routine as the cast fromPredator.So when it comes to playing Zeus, having dramatic chops is only a part of the deal. The actor would also have to bring on some serious mass. There aren’t that many actors who are in the older age range necessary to play Zeus along with the body builder size needed to embody him.
TheAvatarmain villainStephen Langis one of the few actors out there who checks both of these boxes.
Related:Best Stephen Lang Movies and TV Shows, Ranked
2Ruth Wilson as Athena
Before Freya was the franchise’s go-to female character who jumps back and forth between ally and enemy, there was Athena. She is such a huge presence in the original trilogy that her ghost literally haunts Kratos as he goes to retrieve his iconic Blades of Chaos. Whatever actress portrays her has to be able to seem trusting, then villainous, and then haunting. It’s a role that requires a character actress who is basically a chameleon. Someone who can be sweet one moment and then terrifying in the next.
No actress is more suited for that kind of job thanRuth Wilson. The actress has shown her chameleonic prowess in roles in the likes ofHis Dark MaterialsandLuther.She would definitely be a haunting presence that would hold sway over Kratos long after her gruesome demise.
1Kristofer Hivju as Ares
There’s simply no way they could make a convincingGod of Warfranchise without featuring Ares. If Kratos never took on Ares and ended his life, then he never would’ve taken his famous title. There needs to be a formidable presence that Kratos can rage against, but not so formidable that he seems like the final boss of the whole series.Kristofer HivjufromGame of ThronesandThe Witcherwould be a perfect addition to this cast. Not only does he have the intensity and the dramatic prowess necessary for the role, but he could probably add to it as well. Ares wasn’t known for having the greatest sense of humor. Hivju could definitely add some layers to Ares that a Playstation 2 cutscene just wasn’t capable of conveying.
The great thing about Kristofer Hivju is that they won’t have to waste a giant budget on giving him a fiery mane and beard. Hivju’s hair already looks like it could light on fire at any second. If he concentrated hard enough, he could probably light it on fire.
