‘God of War’ Series First Look Draws Mixed Reaction as Fans Debate Prime Video’s Live-Action Vision

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Amazon has released the first official promotional image for its upcoming God of War series, and fans are already having strong, differing reactions.

A first look at the live-action God of War series has been revealed! Variety shared an image showing Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus on set in Vancouver as filming begins. The series is expected to adapt the stories from the latest two God of War games, centering on Kratos’s journey of fatherhood and his experiences within Norse mythology.

Kratos (Ryan Hurst) and Atreus (Callum Vinson) in live-action.

The first look at Prime Video’s #GodOfWar series has been revealed

— Variety (@Variety) February 27, 2026

Although some viewers appreciated how true to the game the footage seemed, a lot of people were disappointed with what they saw.

First Look Sparks Immediate Debate

A new photo shows a fan impressively recreating the father-son relationship between Kratos and Atreus from the recent God of War games. The artist, Hurst, used makeup to convincingly transform into Kratos, matching his pale skin and signature red markings.

However, the execution has quickly become a point of contention online.

People had different reactions to the image. Some thought it perfectly represented the energy of the games, while others felt it was too heavily edited or even unintentionally funny.

Social Media Reaction Trends Negative

The initial reaction to the new God of War game on social media was quite divided, and many online discussions started with negative opinions.

User @THighgate11 expressed excitement for the show but criticized a recently released image, saying it looked like something from a parody movie and created a bad first impression.

Another commenter questioned the visual presentation of the lead actor.

It’s unfortunate. Hurst could benefit from working out a bit. This picture has been edited so heavily it looks like it was created by artificial intelligence.

— Colin MacLeod (@ColinJMacLeod) February 27, 2026

“That’s disappointing,” tweeted @ColinJMacLeod. “Hurst could really benefit from some time at the gym. This photo has been so heavily edited it looks like it was created by artificial intelligence.”

Others were even more blunt in their assessment of the tone conveyed by the image.

This looks like an SNL skit

— WizKid (@WizKidd301) February 27, 2026

Still, not all responses were negative.

Looks great very game accurate. Good luck for the start of production ‘

— Orbit observer 87 (@Thechosenone875) February 27, 2026

Some fans defended the adaptation and praised the apparent faithfulness to the source material.

High Expectations for a Beloved Franchise

The varied reactions show that fans are paying very close attention to Amazon’s God of War series, which has a lot to live up to considering how popular the Sony games have been.

As a huge fan of PlayStation games, I’ve always considered the recent God of War titles – especially the 2018 game and Ragnarök – to be absolute standouts. So, the idea of turning those incredibly cinematic adventures into a live-action series? That felt like a really ambitious, and potentially risky, move.

Ronald D. Moore is writing and leading the new series, and Amazon has already committed to two full seasons. Frederick E.O. Toye will direct the first two episodes.

Early Optics Matter

Initial photos from a production don’t usually reveal everything, but they often create first impressions. With this particular project, those early impressions seem to be very divided.

Okay, so Amazon’s taking on God of War, and honestly, the initial reaction from fans seems…mixed. It’s still super early days – they’ve only just started production – so it’s way too soon to say if this series will be a hit. Ultimately, whether it lives up to the hype – or falls flat – will come down to the finished product when it lands on Prime Video. I’m cautiously optimistic, but definitely keeping an open mind.

Fans are making it very clear: they have extremely high hopes for the live-action adaptation of Kratos, and they’ll be watching closely to see how it turns out.

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2026-02-27 22:59