The first-look of Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming adaptation of God of War has failed to impress the creator of the original game.
The image, unveiled by Amazon Prime Video, shows Kratos (Ryan Hurst), standing in a forest as he oversees his son Atreus (Callum Vinson), during an archery lesson. The story follows Spartan soldier Kratos as he accompanies his son to spread his wife’s ashes on the highest peak in the nine realms.
The first-look was criticised by fans online for allegedly straying from the visual tone and intensity associated with the video game franchise. Among those voicing strong disapproval was David Jaffe, the veteran game designer who created the original God of War.
In a video posted to YouTube, Jaffe did not hold back. “I’m sure everybody’s trying real hard, but it’s so dumb,” he said.
Describing the promotional image as “a terrible image,” Jaffe elaborated on his objections.
“It is so bad in so many ways. (Kratos) just looks stupid. If you are going to reveal to most people a brand-new character that you hope is going to carry your series for the first time, and they’ve never really seen him before, and this is the way you introduce them? Maybe (Prime Video was] like, ‘We really want to focus on the father-son story, and if we focus on him being, like, Spartan rage, maybe people are like, I don’t want to watch that show.’ But could you find a picture that doesn’t look like he’s shitting in the woods? Because that’s what the picture looks like … Neither of these characters look very interesting or appealing. If this was God of War: Dumb and Dumber edition, this is what you would expect, like it’s a comedy.”
Hurst had earlier responded to the criticism, urging viewers not to judge the series based on a single promotional image. However, Jaffe dismissed that defence.
“Hurst, after this official look was released, ‘Don’t believe everything you see on the internet, kids.’ Well, then why is goddamn Prime Video releasing it? This isn’t some behind-the-scenes thing that somebody snuck [in and photographed] from the set. This is an official release from Amazon, who’s producing the show. So I don’t know what the f*** (his statement) means.”
The series marks the first live-action retelling of the globally popular franchise and will adapt the narrative arc of the two most recent games, which centre on Kratos’ attempt to raise his ten-year-old son while navigating the dangers of Norse mythology.
The project has secured a two-season order at Amazon. Television writer-producer Ronald D. Moore is attached as writer, executive producer and showrunner under his Tall Ship Productions banner. The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions.