‘God Of War’: Sonya Walger Set as Freya in Live-Action Adaptation

God of War is heading to streaming as Prime Video brings the hugely successful video game franchise to the live-action realm. The project aims to translate the epic scope of the series to television, continuing the platform’s push into big-budget genre storytelling.

Developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony, God of War is a long-running action-adventure saga centered on Kratos, a Spartan warrior who becomes entangled with mythological gods and monsters. The franchise has earned critical acclaim and a massive fanbase for its storytelling, visceral combat, and evolving character mythology.

With Ryan Hurst playing Kratos and Mandy Patinkin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Teresa Palmer, Callum Vinson, and Max Parker set to join him, the long-delayed adaptation is finally underway, with the series receiving a two-season order.

Here is a look at what to expect, including casting, plot developments, and more.

When will God of War premiere?

As of February 27, production is officially underway in Vancouver, but the series has quite a bit to go, with a potential release around late 2027. Please check back here for updates.

What is God of War about?

Based on PlayStation’s massively popular ancient mythology-themed game franchise, the series follows Kratos as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.

According to the official logline: “God of War follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.”

Who stars in God of War?

Ryan Hurst has been cast as Kratos, the titular character of the franchise. In the series, Kratos is a Spartan by birth and a god by nature. According to the lore, Kratos was “raised in a martial culture, he rose to command armies in service of his homeland until one day he made a fateful deal with Ares, the Greek God of War, and lost his soul in exchange for being victorious in battle.”

Hurst played Thor in PlayStation’s God of War Ragnarök and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for his performance.

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Teresa Palmer will join the series as Sif, wife of Thor. According to a statement released by Prime Video, her character is a “mortal woman who was raised to a goddess when she married Thor, Sif still feels like an outsider among the other gods in Asgard.  She has three children, who she loves dearly, but she was unable to stop her husband’s descent into self-loathing and misery following the tragic events of a war in the distant past.” Sif is further described as “a survivor who has navigated the often cruel and capricious world of the gods through her own intelligence and confidence.”

In February, Callum Vinson signed on to play Atreus, the 10-year-old son of Kratos, who grew up in a remote forest isolated from the rest of the world and raised almost entirely by his mother, Faye.  According to the Prime Video character description, “after his mother’s death, Atreus is left with a cold, distant father who he barely knows and who knows little about him in return.  Nonetheless, Atreus yearns for his father’s approval and is desperate to prove he is strong enough to survive in a harsh and dangerous world.”

On February 27, Prime Video shared a first-look image of stars Hurst and Callum Vinson as Kratos and Atreus, the iconic characters they portray in the live-action adaptation.

Leah Gallo for Prime Video

Also added to the show was Max Parker as Heimdall, the Watchman of Asgard. Heimdall is a character who is “constantly looking for ways to improve his position in the hierarchy and increase his stature and power.” A god in his own right, Heimdall feels unappreciated by his father and underestimated by most of his family.

On January 29, it was announced that Mandy Patinkin had been cast as Odin the All-Father in the adaptation. The character is described as “is not physically imposing or particularly god-like: but looks can be deceiving. He is the most powerful Aesir god, a patriarch who leads with an iron fist, and an unrivaled seeker of knowledge.”

In the series, Odin serves as Kratos’s antagonist.

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson was also added to the cast as Thor, the God of Thunder. In the series, Thor is described as “a mountain of a man who has weathered many a battle in his time, but whose actions in a war fought long ago now haunt his waking hours.  Once the loyal soldier of Asgard and his father’s right-hand man, Thor is now but a shadow of his former self as he drowns himself in alcohol and tries not to think of the price he paid.”

On March 2, it was announced that Louis Cunningham, Ben Chapple, Evelyn Miller, and Island Austin joined the cast as the children of the gods and a fierce warrior.

Cunningham will play Modi, Sif and Thor’s middle child, who is described as having a “gentle disposition and an obsessive, almost insatiably curious mind.” Chapple will portray Magni, Sif and Thor’s eldest son, who is “handsome and adventurous…an excellent hunter and natural ladies’ man, but the life of an immortal playboy has begun to feel hollow, and Magni is yearning for a greater purpose.” And finally, Austin will star as Thrud, Sif and Thor’s youngest child. Thrud is described as “precocious, inquisitive, curious, and fearless, with a natural yearning for knowledge.”

Miller will play Gna, Odin’s Valkyrie commander. A fierce warrior, her character description reads: “Devoted to her duty with a loyalty to Odin that borders on fanatical. Highly disciplined and uncompromising, she is dedicated to serving the realm, occasionally at the expense of her own well-being.”

In March, it was also announced that Sonya Walger will have a recurring role as Freya, Vanir goddess and princess who practices powerful, ancient magic. In the official description, the character is described as “Odin’s ex-wife and the former Queen of the Valkyries in Asgard, a title bestowed upon her on her marriage day. She is strong, insightful, and filled with regrets. When Freya’s unhappy marriage to Odin ended with her being exiled, she was cut off from her family, as well as her native land, Vanaheim.” She is often referred to as the Witch of the Woods.

The series will also star Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, and Danny Woodburn as Brok.

Who is behind the making of God of War?

Ronald D. Moore serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer, and Emmy-winning director Frederick E.O. Toye has signed on to direct the first two episodes.

Additional executive producers include Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Jeff Ketcham, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee, and Brad Van Arragon. Joe Menosky, Marc Bernardin, Tania Lotia, and Ben McGinnis serve as co-executive producers on the series.

Is there a trailer?

No, not yet. But please check back for updates.