Amazon and PlayStation are going back to Level 1 and starting from scratch with their TV adaptation of the video-game franchise “God of War.”
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“God of War” showrunner and executive producer Rafe Judkins and EPs Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus have exited the series. Amazon Studios and PlayStation Productions have selected “Continue.” The companies will seek a new showrunner and a new creative direction for the story of Kratos, IndieWire has learned.
Judkins, known for his work on Amazon’s “Wheel of Time” fantasy series, is under an overall deal with the studio. He joined the “God of War” project when Amazon first ordered the show in 2022. Judkins will remain showrunner of “Wheel of Time” and is still under his overall deal with Amazon Studios.
The “God of War” games date back to 2005; the franchise spans nine games over four PlayStation consoles. It’s one of the most storied and acclaimed franchises for Sony’s PlayStation, as well as one of the best-selling games for the consoles. As such, it remains a big priority for Amazon and Sony Pictures Television and will continue development, we’re told.
The game series follows Kratos, a Spartan warrior who gives his life in service to Ares, the God of War, only to be tormented when Kratos in a blood-soaked rage kills his own family, leaving him cursed to carry their ashes on his pale, white skin. Kratos seeks revenge on Ares and after slaying him becomes the God of War himself, forever seeking revenge on the gods and solace for his own sins.
When the series was rebooted for the PS4 in 2018, Kratos had exiled himself from Ancient Greece and settled in the Norse realm of Midgard, now with a wife and son, Atreus. The new games, including the most recent “God of War: Ragnarok” from 2022 , depict Kratos battling Norse gods alongside his son following the death of Kratos’ beloved wife.
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It’s unclear what direction the TV series as envisioned by Judkins was meant to follow. Anyway, it won’t be that.
Still involved with the “God of War” series as EPs are PlayStation’s Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, and Yumi Land, Roy Lee for Vertigo, and the game’s creator Cory Barlog alongside Yumi Yang for Santa Monica Studio. The show is a co-production between Sony Pictures TV and Amazon Studios in association with PlayStation Productions.
PlayStation Productions is behind HBO’s mega-hit “The Last of Us,” also based on a video-game franchise. “The Last of Us” Season 2 returns to TV (and Max) in 2025. PlayStation productions also just dated the feature adaptation “Until Dawn” for release in April 2025, and it has a “Horizon: Zero Dawn” series adaptation set up at Netflix, among other projects in the works.
Deadline first reported the news of the EP exodus.
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