Ryan Hurst Responds to GOD OF WAR First Look Backlash: “Don’t Believe Everything You See on the Internet, Kids.”
The first official image from Amazon’s upcoming God of War series hit the internet last week, and let’s just say… fans had thoughts. Now Ryan Hurst, who plays Kratos in the Prime Video adaptation the PlayStation franchise, is stepping in with a short response to the mixed reaction.
“Don’t believe everything you see on the internet, kids.”
That was Hurst’s response after the photo from the start of production made the rounds online. The image shows his Kratos crouched beside Atreus, played by Callum Vinson, as the young archer prepares to fire an arrow.
It’s clearly a raw production still, taken mid-filming, without any color correction or post-production polish.
Still, social media lit up almost immediately. Some users compared the image to an SNL sketch. Others said it looked like something generated by AI. For a franchise known for its cinematic scale and jaw-dropping visuals, the rough first look caught people off guard.
Hurst’s comment leaves room for interpretation. Maybe he’s suggesting the image doesn’t represent the final product. Maybe he’s hinting that there’s more going on than fans realize. Or maybe he’s simply reminding everyone that early production photos rarely reflect the finished series.
Either way, it’s a curious moment for a show that, up until now, has inspired a lot of confidence.
The God of War adaptation has assembled some serious talent. Outlander showrunner Ronald D. Moore is steering the ship, which already feels like a strong match for the franchise’s heavy mythology and character-driven storytelling.
And Santa Monica Studio’s Cory Barlog is on board as executive producer, which should ease concerns about staying true to the source material.
Moore has spoken openly about Barlog’s deep connection to the world of God of War, and it’s clear he’s impressed.
"I've had several meetings with Cory, and you ask Cory, 'Well, tell me about the backstory of this or how this works,' and he just can talk because he holds it all in his head.”
Moore continued, "And I usually pride myself about, as a showrunner, I can hold the season in my head. I know what the 10 episodes are, and I can tell you about them.
"Cory can tell you the whole thing in every possible way – all the mythology, how it connects one to the other, what the puzzles were, why they did this, and what that artifact did. It's really impressive. I mean, it is like a gigantic novel, even bigger than the Outlander novels, which is a lot to digest."
That’s similar to how Todd Howard has helped guide Amazon’s Fallout series, making sure the tone and lore stay intact. When the people who built the universe are still in the room, that’s usually a good sign.
At the end of the day, this was an early image. Just actors in costume during early production. If anything, Hurst’s response suggests fans might want to pump the brakes before writing the show off so early.
I will say, though. They should’ve released an image of Kratos looking badass in an action pose wielding his weapons. That would’ve made the difference!
The God of War TV series is aiming to bring one of gaming’s most intense father-son journeys to live-action. If Moore and Barlog are firing on all cylinders, and if Hurst fully channels the gruff power we know Kratos for, this could turn out to be something pretty awesome.