Summary
Amazon Prime Video is currently working on a live-action series based off of theGod of Warreboot from 2018 and its showrunner, Ronald Moore,recently confirmed that the streaming giant is planning on making two whole seasons of it. Naturally, this piece of news has fans simultaneously excited and concerned about the project.
While the show could end up being as good as other recent live-action adaptations of video games – likeThe Last of UsorFallout– it could also end up failing, especially if the writers, directors, and showrunners fail to properly adapt some of the franchise’s signature elements. If they get the following things right, the upcomingGod of Warseries will surely turn out great.
1The Casting Of The Main Characters
Amazon Needs To Find The Perfect Real-Life Kratos And Atreus
If this was an animated series, they could easily castChristopher Judge and Sunny Suljic (Kratos’ and Atreus’ voice actors from the new games)but, since it’s going to be live-action, Amazon needs to work extremely hard to find theideal actorsfor both main characters.
It’s certainly not going to be easy, especially considering Atreus is eleven years old inGod of War(2018), which means that the young actor they’ll cast is going to grow up very fast between seasons. Nevertheless, HBO Max managed to get the perfect actors for Joel and Ellie for its adaptation ofThe Last of Us, which is proof that this type of perfect casting can be achieved if the production company is careful.
2The Father-Son Dynamic
The New God Of War Games Are All About The Relationship Between Kratos And Atreus
TheGod of Warseries focuses on a lot of different things, but there’s one specific element that is more important than everything else, especially in the two new Nordic games:thefather-sonrelationship between Kratos and Atreus. The new show can be epic, violent, and packed with action, but it’s going to fail if Amazon does not faithfully adapt this crucial part of the narrative.
After all,God of War(2018) andGod of War Ragnaroktell the story of Kratos’ new life in Midgard and the journey to scatter his wife’s ashes, which forced him to grow closer to his son Atreus. Throughout their adventure, he grows into a better, kinder, and stronger man, and the Amazon Prime Video series is not going to work if this aspect of his character is undermined or completely omitted.
3The Casual Dialogue
Kratos, Atreus, And Mimir Need To Have Many Fun Conversations
Since this will be the adaptation of an epic and ambitious franchise, the newGod of Warshow will most likely have solid fantasy dialogue for all the important story scenes in which Kratos and Atreus face other gods from Norse Mythology. That’d be good and all, but what about all their otherconversations?
Throughout their adventure,Kratos and Atreus (and later Mimir) repeatedly talk about random subjects, like Kratos’ past, the world they inhabit, and its myths and legends, not to mention that they even tell each other some funny jokes. These conversations may seem unimportant at first, but they flesh out all three characters perfectly, while also adding some much-needed humor to the narrative. The writers of the new series must find moments in which they can implement these little exchanges into the script.
4The Environments
Midgard (And The Other Nine Realms) Should Look Amazing
The people in charge of the budget at Amazon Prime Video have a monumental job: making sure that all theenvironmentsof its newGod of Warseries are properly adapted on-screen, and to make them work, they should spare no expense.
The two most recentGod of Wartitles have presented players withsome of the most beautiful 3D environments ever put in a video game: from the snowy mountains of Midgard, to the beautiful forests of Alfheim and even the frozen chaos of Helheim. These locations elevate the experience and have become a key part of these games' identity, so they need to look as detailed as possible in the new live action series.
5The Enemies
High-Quality Special Effects Will Be Needed To Bring Them To Life
Needless to say, Kratos and Atreus’ journey through Midgard was far from peaceful, because they often encountered and fought multiple dangerousenemies, like the Draugr, the Revenants, the Wulvers, and many more, all with their unique designs and impressive abilities.
On top of that,they also came across many gigantic bosses, like the Trolls or Hraezlyr the Dragon. All of these deadly enemies are a key part of the game’s narrative and its many action scenes, so the VFX workers at Amazon Prime Video should try to adapt them as faithfully as possible, whether by using CGI, practical effects (like costumes and animatronics) or a balanced combination of both.
6The Violence
Kratos’ Kills Should Be As Gorey As Possible
Back in the mid-2000s,theGod of Warseries became infamous for itsviolence, especially whenever Kratos had to manually execute a monster or a Greek God. While the recent Norse Mythology games have toned down the violence a little bit, it’s still a huge part of the franchise’s identity, and the player can make Kratos kill all his enemies in extremely brutal ways.
The new age of streaming has allowed TV shows to break the mold more often and get away with riskier stuff, especially blood and violence. Amazon Prime Video has even delved into gorey series that have become huge hits, likeThe BoysorInvincible. So, if the streaming giant keeps that philosophy for theGod of Warshow and keeps it as violent as possible (without overdoing it, of course), fans of the games will certainly be satisfied with it.
7The Props
Kratos’ Weapons And Equipment Have To Be Faithfully Recreated
When adapting a popular IP to live action, certain key elements can’t be omitted or altered drastically, or fans are going to be unhappy with them. In the case ofGod of War, there’s nothing more important in its iconography than Kratos’ signature weapons:theBlades of Chaosand theLeviathan Axe.
No matter how costly it is, Amazon Prime Video should try to make real-life replicas of Kratos’ most important items and find ways to seamlessly implement them into the fight choreography. Of course, many other props need to be faithfully adapted (like his armor sets and Atreus’ bow and arrows), but the appearance of these two weapons will play a huge part in the show’s immediate success.
8Kratos’ Greek Backstory
The First Half Of The Franchise Should Not Be Omitted Nor Forgotten
When Amazon Prime Video announced that it was going to make a live-action adaptation of the newGod of Wargames, the reaction of the fans was quite mixed. As promising as this sounded, it also meant that the streaming giant was going to completely omit the first sixGod of Wargames that took place inGreece. While those games were very different in both gameplay and tone, they are still a key part of the franchise, and anybody who hasn’t experienced them in some way will not enjoy Kratos’ character development in the modern Nordic games.
Because of this, the newGod of Warshow should feature several flashbacks retellingthe key moments of the Greek Mythology Saga that shaped Kratos’ character into what he isat the beginning of this new story. Furthermore, it would be great if Amazon decided to adapt those original six games when it eventually covers the entirety ofGod of War(2018) andGod of War Ragnarök,and it runs out of material to adapt.
