Among the various video game adaptations currently being developed in Hollywood, Amazon’s God of War series stands out as particularly promising. The original games, especially the 2018 and 2022 installments, possess a cinematic flair that may lend itself well to both film and television adaptations. However, despite the enthusiasm surrounding the project, progress on the adaptation has been sluggish since its initial announcement two years ago.
Recently, the project encountered a significant setback. According to Deadline, showrunner Rafe Judkins and executive producers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus have departed the project. This news comes after they had already completed several scripts for the first season and amid a shared interest from Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios to venture into a new creative direction.
Despite this change, Yumi Yang and Cory Barlog from Santa Monica Studio, which developed God of War, remain involved as executive producers, along with Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Yumi Land, and Roy Lee. It has been reported that Amazon and Sony intend to bring in a completely new writing team for the series, effectively starting from scratch.
Amazon has experience with high-profile video game adaptations; earlier this year, it launched the much-anticipated live-action Fallout series, which quickly became one of the year’s biggest television hits. Rafe Judkins also has a history with Amazon, serving as the showrunner for The Wheel of Time, which debuted on Prime Video in 2021.
It has been confirmed that the God of War series will explore the Norse Era of the franchise. If Sony and Amazon plan to stick with this narrative direction, the series will follow the character Kratos years after he left his violent past as the Greek God of War. The 2018 game specifically depicts Kratos on a profound journey with his son, Atreus, to carry out his late wife’s final wish by spreading her ashes atop a mountain in the Norse realm of Midgard. Throughout their quest, Kratos and Atreus face numerous challenges, battling Norse gods, monsters, and various mythological beings.
At this point, the reasons behind the decision to replace Judkins, Ostby, and Fergus remain unclear. However, given the recent success of Fallout and the overall popularity of the God of War franchise, it makes sense for the studios to take their time and ensure the new adaptation meets expectations, even if it results in a prolonged development timeline.