You can expect a lot of signature-style action from the upcoming God of War live-action adaptation, but what about the sauce that made Kratos HIM?
According to Deadline, pre-production for the upcoming God of War series has begun in Vancouver, with casting officially underway. Emmy-winning Director, Frederick E.O. Toye, has joined the team to direct the first two episodes of the show. Despite all the effort put into the live adaptation, the story’s soul might be missing for a very good reason.
The report from Deadline confirms that the show is looking for actors who can play the father-son duo: Kratos and Atreus. This confirms that the show will pick up the story from the Norse arc. While this is great news, as characters like Odin and Thor are familiar to a majority of the audience, this also means that it will skip the story from the Greek arc, something that defines Kratos.
The GoW Series Might Neglect Kratos’ Most Important Story Arc
When the original games in the God of War series began, Kratos was introduced as a Spartan warrior who was once bound by desperation and manipulated by Ares, a Greek god. One things lead to another, and Kratos ended up slaughtering an entire village that also had his family! The trauma of that deed, and the grief and guilt that followed, set him on a vengeful path against the Greek gods.
The Ghost of Sparta (Kratos) then hunted down every god in the Greek pantheon and took his revenge. In 2018, the game took a shift by transitioning the protagonist to the Norse era, where he was shown as a father, a protector, and a mentor to his son, Atreus. However, he was often burdened by the grief of his past, which is evident in the entire series.
The entire story revolves around the emotional journey of Kratos and Atreus, as they find their place in Midgard. To understand this phase of their lives better, one must know what Kratos went through in Greece. Without those formative scars and motivations, it becomes almost senseless to watch the show. Unless they are up for showing some flashbacks or lore recap first.
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A Call to the Past Is Needed in the God of War Series
Adapting the Norse narrative alone may make sense from a production or tonal standpoint. This part of the story revolves around fatherhood, redemption, and new mythology; these are all themes that resonate widely. But for the series to do justice to Kratos’s story, a respectful nod to his Greek history should not be optional, but essential.
Integrating flashbacks, references, or even a limited “prequel arc” covering the Greek saga would give viewers the full context: the weight of Kratos’ sins. Moreover, it is also important to preserve the origin of the story, rather than just capitalizing on the most recent storyline developed by Santa Monica.
Long story short, if the TV adaptation truly wants to deliver the real God of War experience, it needs to remember where Kratos came from. Let us know if you agree with us in the comments below.
