Prime Video’s God of War TV series is expected to begin production in 2026, meaning casting is likely underway for the adaptation of the popular PlayStation exclusive.

Pleased with the success of Fallout, Amazon Prime Video is actively exploring several other video game adaptations, including series based on Mass Effect, Wolfenstein, Warhammer 40,000, and a second season of its Secret Level anthology series.

At SDCC 2025 this past July, Ronald D. Moore, showrunner of the upcoming God of War TV series, revealed that he plans to begin production on the adaptation in 2026. Based on this timeline, casting is likely underway, and recent reports suggest there is a shortlist of ten actors being considered for the lead role of Kratos.

Henry Cavill
Winston Duke
Joe Manganiello
Christopher Judge (the current video game voice of Kratos)
Manu Bennett
Jason Momoa
Travis Fimmel
Oliver Ritchers
Dave Bautista
Paul Levesque

Despite recent rumors circulating on X/Twitter, rapper-turned-podcaster Joe Budden is not being considered.

Given this lineup, who might be the best fit to portray Kratos in a live-action series?

Henry Cavill is already leading several Amazon projects, including the ambitious Warhammer 40,000 live-action series, a live-action Voltron film, and a Highlander remake that recently shifted from Lionsgate to Amazon MGM. While Amazon clearly values Cavill for high-profile IP adaptations, it seems unlikely they would have him headline yet another major franchise at the same time.

While Christopher Judge is the voice of Kratos in the games, it’s unlikely that he would land the role due to his age and injury history.

Among God of War fans, the popular choice from among the above list appears to be Joe Manganiello and Jason Momoa.

Moore has confirmed that the series will skip the Greek era of the God of War games and instead focus on the more recent Norse mythology storyline from the PlayStation-exclusive games.

Regarding the adaptation, Moore said, “We’re in the scripts phase, still working on them. It’s gone very well — we have a good team. It’s been fascinating to sink my teeth into… the more I got into it, the more impressed I was with the breadth and depth of the mythology involved in this video game.”

He also confirmed that Amazon has already committed to two seasons, with the first consisting of ten episodes. Moore emphasized that he is working closely with game director Cory Barlog to ensure the series remains faithful to the original story and its mythology.