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'God of War' game creator slams Prime Video's first look of live action series: 'Maybe they're like...'

'God of War' game creator David Jaffe minced no words in his initial reaction to the picture featuring the two main characters in a YouTube video.

'God of War' is among Prime Video's most ambitious series to date. The first look featuring Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as his son, Atreus, had fans buzzing. But that didn't move the needle for David Jaffe. The game creator minced no words in his initial reaction to the picture featuring the two main characters. "I’m sure everybody’s trying real hard," he said in his reaction video on YouTube. "I’m not worried about the show," he added, "but I’m a little worried about: What the f**k is this?" 

"Maybe they’re like, ‘Well, what we really want to focus on is the father-son story, and if we focus on him being like, rah, Spartan-rage and all that, maybe people are like, I don’t want to watch that show.’ OK, maybe, but then, at that point, could you find a picture that doesn’t look like he’s [Ryan Hurst’s Kratos] shitting in the woods?" Jaffe asked. He had his notes on Atreus as well. "It’s just weird — the way the whole image looks, he looks like he’s kind of a very confused little boy with way too much product in his hair," he summed up. "None of these characters look very interesting or appealing — they look just dumb. Like if this was God of War: Dumb and Dumber edition."

Jaffe has an issue with how the main characters are presented. Kratos is a deep and complex personality. Often seen brooding or snarling, the 'Ghost of Sparta' is driven by guilt and rage — his defining traits throughout the game series. Prime Video's rather softer moment clearly didn't go down well with the creator. His comments come on the back of the mixed reception from the game's faithful to the streamer's first look.

The official logline of 'God of War' reads, "Father and son Kratos and Atreus embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human." The series borrows from the recent 'God of War' game series, which pits Kratos against the Norse powers. ‘God of War’ tells an emotionally driven story centered on Kratos and his young son, Atreus. Following the death of Kratos’ wife, Faye, the father-son duo set out on a journey to fulfill her final wish: scattering her ashes from the highest peak. Along the way, father and son are forced to confront monsters, gods, and their own unresolved wounds. The upcoming series will trace the journey of one of the iconic game heroes born out of tragedy.

Starring alongside Hurst and Vinson is 'Deadpool' star Ed Skrein as Baldur. Rounding up the cast are Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Max Parker as Heimdall, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka as brothers Brok and Sindri, along with Alastair Duncan as Mimir. Ronald D. Moore serves as the showrunner, writer, and executive producer. The show is primarily based on the 2018 game, 'God of War'.