Fans excited about Amazon's God of War television series adaptation will have to wait a while longer. The upcoming series, which was ordered at Amazon in December 2022, has reportedly lost its series showrunner and multiple executive producers and will have to start production from scratch.
Variety reports that series showrunner executive producer Rafe Judkins along with executive producers Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus have departed the project over creative differences. Multiple scripts had been completed for the series but Amazon and Sony Pictures Television opted to go a different direction with the series.
Writing for the series began in January of this year by Fergus and Ostby. While we didn't get specific plot details, the story was supposed to adapt the Norse era, beginning with the events of the 2018 video game.
2018's God of War game was the eighth installment in the series but billed as a "bold new beginning." Unlike previous games in the franchise, which were loosely based on Greek mythology, this one was loosely inspired by North mythology and set in ancient Scandinavia in the realm of Midgard.
The official PlayStation description reads:
Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son.
His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus behind him, Kratos now lives in the realm of Norse deities and monsters.
It’s in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive, and not only teach his son to do the same… but also prevent him from repeating the Ghost of Sparta’s bloodstained mistakes.
This staggering reimagining of God of War combines all the hallmarks of the iconic series – brutal combat, epic boss fights, and breathtaking scale – and fuses them with a powerful and moving narrative that re-establishes Kratos’ world.
We're not sure how closely the TV series was following the story, though. Santa Monica Studio’s studio creative director Cory Barlog remains on board as an executive producer along with PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, Santa Monica Studio’s Yumi Yang and Vertigo’s Roy Lee.
Amazon and Sony are now reportedly looking to hire a new showrunner and assemble a new writers' room for what will be a fresh start.
God of War would be the latest blockbuster PlayStation franchise adapted into a television series. HBO's The Last of Us, which is based on Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic action-adventure, debuted in January of last year and received critical acclaim while winning several awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards. It became HBO's most-watched debut season and its success ultimately led to HBO greenlighting a second season. Season 2 of the hit series is set to premiere in 2025.
Peacock also adapted Twisted Metal, another notable PlayStation property. While it didn't garner the same critical acclaim as The Last of Us, it was also well-received upon release in 2023. A second season has also been greenlit with filming beginning in late 2024.