God of War has found its Baldur.
Prime Video‘s big-budget adaptation of PlayStation’s hit mythology-themed game has cast Jurassic World Rebirth star Ed Skrein as the show’s major villain.
Skrein will play opposite the previously announced Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy), who plays the show’s protagonist, the Spartan warrior Kratos. Skrein’s credits also include Deadpool and Rebel Moon.
Here’s the official description of Skrein’s character: “Baldur may be the youngest son of Odin, but he’s his father’s most dangerous weapon. Charismatic, unpredictable and armed with a razor-sharp tongue, Baldur lives by his own rules. As a boy, Baldur was cursed; this curse denied him the ability to feel pleasure and physical sensation. This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists. Above all else, he longs for an opponent that can truly match his prowess in battle. An opponent that can finally make him feel something.”
God of War already has a two-season commitment with Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica) serving as showrunner and Emmy-winning director Frederick E.O. Toye (Shōgun) directing the first two episodes.
Other previously announced cast includes Callum Vinson as Atreus, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok and Mandy Patinkin as Odin.
The series will follow the storyline of the two most recent God of War games, which introduced Kratos’ 10-year-old son, Atreus. The two will “embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye,” the show’s logline reads. “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.”
Moore, who has an overall deal at Sony, executive produces with Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Jeff Ketcham, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee and Brad Van Arragon. Joe Menosky, Marc Bernardin, Tania Lotia and Ben McGinnis are co-EPs. Sony and Amazon MGM are producing God of War with PlayStation Productions and Moore’s Tall Ship Productions.
