The live-action God of War series that's currently in the works from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon recently hit a major setback with the departure of original showrunner Rafe Judkins, but the project is now back on track with a replacement that's sure to ignite quite a bit of buzz.
According to Deadline, Ronald D. Moore has stepped in as new showrunner, writer and executive producer.
Judkins left the show along with executive producers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus. They had completed multiple scripts, but reports indicate that the studios decided to go in a different creative direction.
Moore has worked on a number of Star Trek projects, as well as the likes of Outlander and For All Mankind. He is probably best known for the critically-acclaimed Battlestar Galactica reboot.
"God of War is a compelling, character-driven franchise that we believe will captivate our global customers as much with its expansive and immersive worlds as its rich storytelling," said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Amazon Studios, back when the series was officially announced. "We are honored to share in the adventure of exploring the God of War mythology in such a momentous way with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, and Santa Monica Studio."
"We are so proud and excited to be working with our friends at Amazon Studios and our partners at PlayStation Productions to adapt this beautiful and heartbreaking game into a premium live-action series," added Katherine Pope, president of Sony Pictures Television Studios.
"God of War is one of PlayStation’s most awarded video games, so we’re excited to partner with Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios to bring our beloved franchise to fans and new audiences in a bold and authentic way," said Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions.
Based on the synopsis, this series looks set to be a pretty faithful take on the 2018 video game, and may also adapt elements of the more recent God of War: Ragnarök.
"[God of War] follows Kratos, the God of War, who, after exiling himself from his blood-soaked past in ancient Greece, hangs up his weapons forever in the Norse realm of Midgard," it reads. "When his beloved wife dies, Kratos sets off on a dangerous journey with his estranged son to spread her ashes from the highest peak—his wife’s final wish."
"Kratos soon realizes the journey is an epic quest in disguise, one which will test the bonds between father and son, and force Kratos to battle new Gods and monsters for the fate of the world."