Prime Video's New Fantasy Series Dangerously Skips The First 3 Chapters Of The Source Material

Published Nov 7, 2026, 11:46 PM EST

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Prime Video is all set to deliver one of its most ambitious adaptations in the near future. While it is hard not to be hyped about the upcoming adaptation, it is surprisingly taking a major risk. Instead of approaching its source material from the very beginning, the series in question is dangerously skipping 3 major chapters of the original story.

The show, God of War, already seems to have a lot going in its favor. It has Dave Bautista as its lead, Kratos, while other promising actors, like Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Teresa Palmer, and Mandy Patinkin, have also joined its roster. The show is also being created by Ronald D. Moore, who has previously established his creative vision with shows like Battlestar Galactica and Outlander.

Even before its premiere on Prime Video, the God of War live-action series has also been given a two-season order. Interestingly, though, instead of approaching its original game like most other adaptations, the live-action God of War is surprisingly skipping some major early arcs. Will this prove to be a risky creative step for the Prime Video series, or will it actually favor it in the long run?

Prime Video's God Of War Is Skipping The Entire Greek Mythology From The Games

The early God of War games follow the Greek saga, unfolding Kratos' origins in Sparta. 2005's God of War is all about Kratos' pledge to Ares and his ascension after his first wife Lysandra and daughter Calliope are murdered. In the second and third installment of the games, Kratos walks down a war path as he sets out to seek vengeance against Zeus and the Olympus pantheon.

This eventually culminates in the destruction of Greece.

As confirmed, Prime Video's God of War is skipping the entire Greek Saga, suggesting that the lore from the first three games will not be explicitly spelled out in the live-action adaptation. Instead, the series is setting its eyes on God of War's Norse Saga, which begins with the 2018 game.

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In the show's beginning itself, it will be established that Kratos has exiled himself from Ancient Greece before settling down in the Norse realm of Midgard. As the story will progress, Kratos and his son, Atreus, will set out on a quest to spread Kratos' late wife Faye's ashes from the highest peak of the nine realms. This will pave the way for the series to eventually adapt God of War Ragnarök.

For obvious reasons, the Prime Video series will not completely erase the Greek mythology from the games. It will seemingly be explored through flashbacks, highlighting how Kratos' past has shaped him. Still, the show's approach can prove to be risky if the series is not able to establish the contrast between Kratos' violent past in Greece and his attempts to become a better father in the Norse saga.

Jumping To The Norse Saga Can Be The Live-Action God Of War's Biggest Strength

Sony Santa Monica Studio

As risky as the adaptation approach might seem, however, it could prove to be the Prime Video series' greatest strength. While even the Greek saga in the games is brilliantly written, the Norse saga truly puts Kratos' vulnerabilities on full display.

Since a TV adaptation cannot simply jump from one action set piece to another and requires an emotionally dense story, the Norse saga seems to have all the ingredients for a compelling character-driven adaptation.

An actor like Dave Bautista, who has incredible range, also seems perfectly suited for playing a more emotional and rounded Kratos. Even for non-gamers who are not familiar with the source material, the father-son bond from the Norse saga between Kratos and Atreus can offer an instant emotional hook.

Hopefully, the Prime Video adaptation will be as incredible as it already seems to be even though it is making some bold creative choices.

Adapted from the PlayStation video game franchise, God of War is an action-adventure drama series in development under Amazon. The series will center on series protagonist Kratos, but no other information on the series has been divulged.