Ed Skrein joins the God of War series as Balder

The cast of the film adaptation of the cult video game series God of War has added another high-profile name. According to Deadline, the role of Balder, one of the key antagonists in the 2018 game, will be played by Ed Skrein, best known for his role as the main villain in Deadpool. His filmography also includes Midway, Alita: Battle Angel, the Rebel Moon duology, and several episodes of the cult series Game of Thrones.

Amazon previously officially confirmed the two lead actors. The legendary Spartan Kratos will be played by Ryan Hurst, familiar to viewers from his roles in Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead. Notably, Hurst has previously appeared in the God of War universe, voicing Thor in God of War Ragnarok. The role of young Atreus, Kratos's son, has been cast by ten-year-old Callum Vinson, who previously starred in Night Agent and Chucky.

Ronald D. Moore, creator of such acclaimed series as Battlestar Galactica, Outlander, and For All Mankind, is writing and directing the project. He replaces Rafe Judkins, who left the project in 2024 due to creative differences with Amazon and Sony, after which production was essentially restarted.

The first season, consisting of ten episodes, will focus on the relationship between Kratos and Atreus against the backdrop of epic Nordic landscapes. The creators promise to preserve the spirit of the original game, its characters, and key plotlines, calling the project an "adaptation and interpretation." Filming is expected to begin as early as March of this year. The exact premiere date has not yet been announced.