A Fan-Made Trailer Concept of a hypothetical film by God of War starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Kratos is literally inflaming the net. The video, published on YouTube by the KH Studios channel and made thanks to the most recent artificial intelligence technologies, has already exceeded 400,000 views in just four days, a sign that the public is looking forward to seeing Sparta’s ghost on the big screen.
The problem? Almost nobody wants The Rock in the role of Kratos. If the enthusiasm for a transposition is very high, the idea of seeing the former WWE champion transformed into the god of war does not convince the community.
In the comments below the video you read phrases like “What is this, Black Adam 2?” And “The Rock is the last person we want to fulfill that role”, a sign that the public is not willing to compromise on the casting of such an iconic character.
Some fans invoke the name of Dave Bautista, which has long been considered the ideal candidate for the role, both for the imposing physique and for his dedication in carrying out more serious projects than the comedies action to which The Rock has accustomed us.
Others, on the other hand, openly criticize Johnson’s “recitative monotony”, claiming that Kratos deserves a more intense interpreter, capable of doing justice to his inner drama and its narrative evolution.
It should be remembered that the project of a live action adaptation of God of War has been in development for years. After various failed attempts (2005, 2010, 2012 and 2018), in 2022 Amazon Studios acquired the rights and announced a TV series that will tell the Norse saga, starting from the events of the 2018 title.
At the helm there will be Ronald D. Moore, already known for Battlestar Galactica, as a showrunner and executive producer. The series is therefore in full development, and the official casting has not yet been announced.
In twenty years of history, God of War has gone from hyperviolent hack’n’slash set in ancient Greece to epic drama on paternity, transforming himself into the spearhead of the exclusive Playstation. With God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla (released in 2023) the saga consolidated its status as a modern myth, generating comics, novels and a fandom among the most fans in the videogame world.
Like it or not, Kh Studios’ experiment has made one thing clear: the audience does not want to see a Hollywood version watered down Kratos. Fans ask for respect for the character and for the tone of the series.
And perhaps it is good that the Amazon project takes the time necessary to find the right interpreter, because Sparta’s ghost is not a simple action hero: it is one of the most complex and tragic figures ever in a video game.
