Amazon's live-action God of War series is reportedly set to recast two more roles, according to casting descriptions spotted by MP1st. Unlike the recent search for a new Kratos, this recasting appears to be planned rather than the result of any production incident.
The casting calls describe teenage versions of characters codenamed "Joshua" and "Ruth," which have been identified as Kratos' son Atreus and Thor's daughter Thrud. In season one, Atreus is played by child actor Callum Vinson (Chucky), while Thrud is played by child actor Island Austin. According to GamesRadar+, the season two casting calls seek actors between 14 and 17 years old, suggesting a significant time jump between seasons — mirroring the gap of several years between the 2018 God of War game and its sequel, God of War Ragnarok, during which Atreus visibly ages.
The casting descriptions characterize the teen Atreus as empathetic, brave, and curious, having grown up in isolation with his father before an adventure that revealed a possible greater destiny; the role requires comfort with physical combat, especially archery. The teen Thrud is described as confident, intelligent, and sarcastic, with a tough exterior masking childlike vulnerability, a complicated relationship with her parents, and a special bond with her grandfather, whom she believes will name her heir to the throne. Thrud did not appear in the original God of War game, only debuting alongside Atreus in Ragnarok, and Kotaku notes the show appears to be introducing more of the Norse pantheon earlier than the games did.
This casting news comes after original Kratos actor Ryan Hurst dropped out of the project due to a bicep injury. Amazon reportedly plans to reshoot at least four episodes Hurst had already filmed, and no new Kratos has been announced yet. GamesRadar+ notes it remains unclear whether seasons one and two will film back-to-back as originally planned, given the disruption.
The show's previously announced cast includes Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Max Parker as Heimdall, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Sonya Walger as Freya, and Alastair Duncan reprising his game role as Mimir. The God of War series on Prime Video remains undated.