Prime Video/Sony
Prime Video’s God of War TV series has started production, but the franchise’s creator has slammed the first look at Kratos in live action, branding it as “so dumb.”
The show is set to adapt the 2018 game, which sees Kratos take his son Atreus on a journey across the nine realms so that they can scatter his mother’s ashes from the highest mountain. On their pilgrimage, both the player and Atreus learn that the young boy is actually Loki, as the game weaves Norse mythology into its story.
It’s the latest video game adaptation aiming to deliver prestige television to the small screen, following the likes of Fallout and The Last of Us. In January, Prime Video announced Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead star Ryan Hurst as Kratos alongside youngster Callum Vinson as Atreus.
But franchise creator David Jaffe has hit out at the first image of Kratos in the God of War show.
God of War creator says first image of Kratos in live action “just looks stupid”
Prime Video
Jaffe reacted to the image on his YouTube channel, explaining that he still has faith in the God of War TV series and its showrunner, Ron Moore.
“I’m sure everybody’s trying real hard, [but] it’s so dumb. But let’s be incredibly clear, okay? Two things can be true. This can be a terrible image, and it is,” he said. “And Ron Moore is awesome, who is the showrunner. This guy is a juggernaut of a talented fellow. I have absolutely no doubt it is going to be a good show.”
The creator’s main issue was with the pose and Kratos’ expression, because “he just looks stupid,” Jaffe explained. “If you’re going to reveal, to most people, a brand new character that you hope is going to carry your series, for the first time, and they’ve never really seen this before, and this is the way you introduce them?”
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Jaffe added that it could be that Prime Video is trying to appeal to a wider audience: “Maybe they’re like, ‘Well, what we really want to focus on is the father-son story. And if we focus on him being like, Spartan rage, and all that, maybe people are like, ‘I don’t want to watch that show.’ Ok maybe.”
He continued: “But then, at that point, could you find a picture that doesn’t look like he’s sh*tting in the woods? Because that’s what the picture looks like.” He also called it a “dumb f**king image.”
The creator did point out that Cory Barlog, who directed and wrote the 2018 game, is heavily involved in the God of War TV show, and added: “I think Cory has a great deal to offer, not just to this universe, but he’s great with storytelling. I’m not worried about the show, but I’m a little worried about… What the f*ck is this?”
Until we know more about Prime Video’s God of War series, check out our most anticipated TV shows of 2026 and everything coming up in our 2026 TV show release calendar.
