Prime Video’s GOD OF WAR Finds Its Thunder With Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson is officially stepping into the storm. Prime Video’s God of War series has locked him in as Thor.
The God of War adaptation, coming from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios, has tapped Ólafsson to play the God of Thunder, a towering figure whose legend is carved out of blood, regret, and broken loyalties.
This version of Thor isn’t just a hammer-swinging force of nature. He’s a deeply scarred warrior haunted by a brutal war from his past. Once Asgard’s most reliable soldier and Odin’s right-hand man, Thor has fallen far from that pedestal.
Alcohol has become his refuge, distance has crept between him and his family, and the weight of his past choices refuses to loosen its grip. The danger and raw power are still there, simmering just under the surface, which makes him all the more unpredictable.
Ólafsson joins the already announced series lead Ryan Hurst, who’s playing Kratos. Fans of the games will recognize Hurst immediately. He previously portrayed Thor in PlayStation’s God of War: Ragnarök, a performance that earned him a BAFTA nomination.
The live-action series takes a different route with the character, and Ólafsson brings a grounded intensity that fits the show’s darker, more personal tone.
At its core, God of War is a story about family. Developed by Ronald D. Moore, the series follows Kratos and his 10-year-old son Atreus as they journey to spread the ashes of Faye, wife and mother.
Along the way, Kratos struggles to raise his son to be a better god, while Atreus quietly tries to teach his father how to reconnect with his humanity. Thor’s presence adds another volatile layer to that journey, especially given his own fractured relationship with his family and his violent history.
The supporting cast rounds things out nicely. Teresa Palmer plays Phoebe, also known as Sif, Thor’s wife and the goddess of family. Max Parker steps into the role of Heimdall, the Watchman of Asgard and one of Odin’s sons. These characters help anchor the mythological scale of the series while keeping it emotionally grounded.
The show is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios alongside PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions.
Ólafsson is currently appearing in the MGM+ series Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue, Apple TV+’s Severance and Your Friends and Neighbors, HBO’s Somebody Somewhere, and Netflix’s La Palma. His past work includes The Missing, Trapped, The Tourist, The Widow, NOS4A2, Quarry, True Detective, and Lady Dynamite.
Upcoming projects include the Apple TV+ heist series 121212, Sony Pictures Classics’ A Winter’s Journey, and Blood on Snow, directed by Cary Fukunaga. He also stars in and executive produces Reykjavík Fusion through his Icelandic production hub ACT4.
Casting Ólafsson as Thor feels like a smart, character-driven move for God of War. This is a Thor shaped by loss, rage, and regret, not just thunder and myth. If the series leans into that complexity, Prime Video could have something awesome on its hands.
Source: Deadline