God of War TV Series is "Starting From Scratch" as Executive Producers Leave

John Elden Ring

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EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures TV and Amazon MGM Studios are staging a do-over on God of War, the series for Prime Video that’s based on PlayStation‘s hugely popular ancient mythology-themed video game.


Deadline has learned that showrunner/executive producer Rafe Judkins, along with EPs Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus, have left the project after completing multiple scripts for the first season. The studios are apparently looking to move in a different creative direction, though one source told Deadline the trio’s scripts were praised by both Sony and Prime.


Sony and Amazon’s plan is to hire a whole new writers room for the series that remains an important asset for Prime. Judkins is a major player for the streamer, too; he’s the showrunner on Wheel of Time. Judkins is also under an overall deal with Sony, where he will continue to focus on new development.
 

Kokoloko

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If this isnt animated its just gonna be weird. Amazon cant do high quality and this will end up looking like cheesey 90’s/2000’s sci fi channel production
 
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Ezekiel

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If this isnt animated its just gonna be weird. Amazon cant do high quality and this will end up looking like cheesey 90’s/2000’s sci fi channel production
Yeah, I mean it's a weird one to adapt for shows. You spend most of the game with a kid and not much talking. There's like 3 supporting characters and one villain. Unless they open up the lore and incorporate some characters from Ragnarok, this will be boring. The game is good because of the combat, but they can't have 40 minutes of fighting and then 5 minutes of character development.

And I agree that they will either have to spend a ton on special effects and set design, or might as well make it animated and have full freedom on the visuals without breaking bank. That way, you can even have the original voice actors reprise their role.
 
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quest4441

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Oh ffs keep Sony pictures away from this, some things are meant to be just left alone. Guess Sony wont be happy unless they have their own boondoggle of a show like Halo
 

Danja

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Does this show start from the Greek Saga or was meant to? Kinda hate the hard how the legacy of this Saga is being white washed
 
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voke

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Does this show start from the Greek Saga or was meant to? Kinda hate the hard how the legacy of this Saga is being white washed
A show based on the Greek saga would be a nightmare... the protagonist being a crybaby murdering lunatic for 3 games worth of material to cover? people gonna get tired of it before the norse period.

I feel like Sony knows they have one shot at this and don't wanna fuck it up. GoW is their most popular franchise atm.
 
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mibu no ookami

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If this isnt animated its just gonna be weird. Amazon cant do high quality and this will end up looking like cheesey 90’s/2000’s sci fi channel production
Imagine saying that after the success of Fallout... though I don't totally disagree with you.

Yeah, I mean it's a weird one to adapt for shows. You spend most of the game with a kid and not much talking. There's like 3 supporting characters and one villain. Unless they open up the lore and incorporate some characters from Ragnarok, this will be boring. The game is good because of the combat, but they can't have 40 minutes of fighting and then 5 minutes of character development.

And I agree that they will either have to spend a ton on special effects and set design, or might as well make it animated and have full freedom on the visuals without breaking bank. That way, you can even have the original voice actors reprise their role.

I think the answer is obviously to interlace the storylines, weaving back between Norse and Greek, but that can pose difficulties as well. Have to do it in a way that isn't jarring.

You obviously want to open up the lore. God of War as is it too shallow, but it's easy enough to do that. There is a tremendous amount of lore in both Greek and Norse mythology to play with here. The question is how to interject Kratos in it and make him a likable character on screen, which is completely different from playing as him in the game.

That's why Atreus is important and why I think God of War 2018 was more successful than the Greek Saga combined.

No one wants to watch a show about a guy who killed his wife and kid. That's not someone you immediately root for.
 
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mibu no ookami

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A show based on the Greek saga would be a nightmare... the protagonist being a crybaby murdering lunatic for 3 games worth of material to cover? people gonna get tired of it before the norse period.

I feel like Sony knows they have one shot at this and don't wanna fuck it up. GoW is their most popular franchise atm.

This is exactly right.

You look at characters like Ragnar Lothbrok, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, and Spartacus... what do they ALL have in common...

Revenge.

While Aries is who Kratos wants revenge against, he largely hates himself and even tries to kill himself. That's not a character that people want to watch on tv.

The Norse saga is much more tv friendly. So unless you want to change Kratos' motivations and thus ruining his character, you can't focus on the gerek saga. Doesn't mean you can display the Greek Saga at all, but it's not great TV.
 

Systemshock2023

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A show based on the Greek saga would be a nightmare... the protagonist being a crybaby murdering lunatic for 3 games worth of material to cover?

YES!!!!!

If only an anime about folks with superpowers beating up Greek gods would exist... I think it would be a massive success... /S
 
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Say1nMan

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The show needs to start with the Greek saga. Start at the beginning especially if you are trying to reach new audiences and introducing them to this world of a franchise.
 

Gods&Monsters

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How come they are working with Amazon? I thought it was the next big threat to PlayStation, they should be working with their ally Valve.
 

mibu no ookami

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The show needs to start with the Greek saga. Start at the beginning especially if you are trying to reach new audiences and introducing them to this world of a franchise.

People would tune out, almost immediately.

How come they are working with Amazon? I thought it was the next big threat to PlayStation, they should be working with their ally Valve.

You're a weird dude.

Sony is partnering with all of the major streaming services.

Amazon: God of War
Netflix: Horizon (Canceled), Uncharted movie streaming
MAX: TLOU
Peacock Twisted Metal

Where is Valve's Streaming TV Network? Sony has business partners every where. You can't grow in business without them. Apple uses parts from Samsung...
 

Yobo

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Can only be an improvement they kicked this guy out after what he did to Wheel of Time and Uncharted
 
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Danja

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A show based on the Greek saga would be a nightmare... the protagonist being a crybaby murdering lunatic for 3 games worth of material to cover? people gonna get tired of it before the norse period.

I feel like Sony knows they have one shot at this and don't wanna fuck it up. GoW is their most popular franchise atm.
Normally I see your posts and they align with my thoughts but not this time. The Greek Saga is critical to Kratos character development in the reboot and why he makes the decisions he does with his Son. The Blade reveal being one of the highlight of not the highlight of the reboot alone shows just how important that Saga is to the franchise.

They can cover the entire Trilogy in a 10 episode season and leave it on the cliff-hanger for the reboot which they can stretch out.

But exiling the Greek Saga would be a huge mistake we have seen shows like Spartacus, show that this kinda story arc can resonate if done well.
 
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mibu no ookami

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Normally I see your posts and they align with my thoughts but not this time. The Greek Saga is critical to Kratos character development in the reboot and why he makes the decisions he does with his Son. The Blade reveal being one of the highlight of not the highlight of the reboot alone shows just how important that Saga is to the franchise.

They can cover the entire Trilogy in a 10 episode season and leave it on the cliff-hanger for the reboot which they can stretch out.

But exiling the Greek Saga would be a huge mistake we have seen shows like Spartacus, show that this kinda story arc can resonate if done well.

I would maybe do an animated prelude to the Norse Saga, but doing the Greek Saga in live action would be a mistake.

Kratos barely speaks to anyone in the Greek Saga for more than 2 minutes.

The vast majority of people who played 2018 never played the original games and they got along just fine. We don't see John Wick's past in John Wick 1, we just hear about it and it works.

Spartacus' past is told to further humanize him, Kratos' back story doesn't. Similarly, we get about 2 minutes of John Wick's backstory entirely focused on his wife in the beginning of the movie, which builds the emotion towards his dog, again to humanize him.
 

voke

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Normally I see your posts and they align with my thoughts but not this time. The Greek Saga is critical to Kratos character development in the reboot and why he makes the decisions he does with his Son. The Blade reveal being one of the highlight of not the highlight of the reboot alone shows just how important that Saga is to the franchise.

They can cover the entire Trilogy in a 10 episode season and leave it on the cliff-hanger for the reboot which they can stretch out.

But exiling the Greek Saga would be a huge mistake we have seen shows like Spartacus, show that this kinda story arc can resonate if done well.
I would still be up for it as I love to OG GoW trilogy to bits... but ask yourself, is that part of the series translatable to just 10 episodes? A lot happens over the course of the trilogy. I think I'd be pretty content with flashbacks... or even an episode that focuses on some of it. Very curious on how they handle this... if they do it well it'll be a hit for sure, and I think Amazon is a good partner.
 

Danja

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I would maybe do an animated prelude to the Norse Saga, but doing the Greek Saga in live action would be a mistake.

Kratos barely speaks to anyone in the Greek Saga for more than 2 minutes.

The vast majority of people who played 2018 never played the original games and they got along just fine. We don't see John Wick's past in John Wick 1, we just hear about it and it works.

Spartacus' past is told to further humanize him, Kratos' back story doesn't. Similarly, we get about 2 minutes of John Wick's backstory entirely focused on his wife in the beginning of the movie, which builds the emotion towards his dog, again to humanize him.
Why do you assume everything needs to be a 1:1 of the game? Dialect can be added for context. In the games the less dialect worked since you took control over the characters and even so there was plenty of cutscenes still exploring the characters and their differences. Sorry I simply do no not support acting like the Game started at the reboot. If you and others only started caring about the franchise then, thats fine, but that's not God of War.
 
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Danja

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I would still be up for it as I love to OG GoW trilogy to bits... but ask yourself, is that part of the series translatable to just 10 episodes? A lot happens over the course of the trilogy. I think I'd be pretty content with flashbacks... or even an episode that focuses on some of it. Very curious on how they handle this... if they do it well it'll be a hit for sure, and I think Amazon is a good partner.
Yes the trilogy can be done in 10 episodes lol. Strip away the game play from the trilogy and alot of the fat is gone leaving a very tunnel vision story / journey for Kratos. God of War 1 alone was like 7 hours long and God of War was around 8 - 9 hours... The OG games aren't as big as the newer ones. God of War 3 would require a little more episodes and time since that's a more delicate story arc.

I just think sideling his origin story that leads him to the reboot would be a huge mistake and a slap in the face to the legacy and the fans.