Amazon’s ‘God of War’ Kratos Casting Got It Wrong

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From the moment the God of War game was announced, fans overwhelmingly wanted Christopher Judge, the voice actor for the main character, to play the role in a live-action adaptation. Even before the project became a Prime Video series, Judge’s powerful performance as Kratos in the games was widely praised and won him awards. The role isn’t just physically demanding; it requires a nuanced emotional performance, capturing the character’s tragic backstory – something Judge excels at portraying.

Fans were excited about the series, especially knowing Ronald D. Moore, a beloved figure from Battlestar Galactica, was leading the show. As gamers anticipated casting announcements, many hoped to finally see a live-action version of Kratos. That’s why Ryan Hurst’s casting was so surprising and disappointing – people couldn’t understand how the show could cast someone from the God of War world but not the right actor for the iconic role.

Ryan Hurst Is a Great Actor


FX

Hurst is a talented actor who consistently delivers strong performances. Those who watched Sons of Anarchy remember his moving portrayal of Opie, and he also impressed audiences in earlier roles like Remember the Titans, where he acted alongside Denzel Washington. More recently, Walking Dead fans recognized Hurst as Beta, and he stood out even in a cast full of talented actors.

Christopher Judge isn’t the first actor people would expect to play Kratos, especially after seeing the fantastic performance of Hurst as Thor in the God of War Ragnarök video game – a role that even earned him a BAFTA nomination! Given how well Hurst embodied Thor, many wonder why he wasn’t cast as Kratos in the upcoming Prime Video God of War series. Hurst’s skills would have been a great addition to the show, so why did Judge ultimately land the part?

Christopher Judge Was the Clear Choice for Kratos


MGM Television/Sony Pictures Television

As a huge fan of both God of War and Stargate SG-1, I’ve always been amazed by Christopher Judge. Seriously, his voice is Kratos – I don’t think the character, or even the game, would be as iconic without him! He truly brought that role to life. But he’s so much more than just a voice actor; most people probably know him as Teal’c from Stargate SG-1, a role he absolutely nailed. Even now, he stays in incredible shape and always looks ready to reprise the role of Kratos, which he shows off at conventions and online. Honestly, when I heard they were casting someone else for a potential God of War show, I was shocked. Passing over Christopher Judge just seemed like a huge mistake. He would have brought so much enthusiasm from the fanbase, while this current choice feels like it’s setting them up for a lot of criticism.

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The main difference between the two actors being considered for the role is age. While both are expected to give excellent performances, the show could run for many years, and at 61, Judge is significantly older than Hurst, who is 49. This age gap seems to be the primary reason for potentially choosing Hurst. However, this decision would likely disappoint fans who were hoping to see Judge cast, as the show did use an actor from the original games for another role, making the omission of the fan favorite feel particularly pointed.

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2026-01-15 00:32