Amazon’s God of War live-action show is reportedly recasting two more of its characters after original Kratos actor Ryan Hurst had to drop out of the project due to a bicep injury, but this time it seems like the recast is not because of any actor injuries or other such incidents, but because the show will have a timeskip after the first season.
MP1st spotted casting calls for teenaged versions of characters codenamed “Joshua” and “Ruth,” which have been determined to be Kratos’ son Atreus and Thor’s daughter Thrud. Chucky child actor Callum Vinson is playing Atreus in the first season, and is, thus far, the only actor we’ve seen in costume who’s actually going to be in the show now that Hurst has had to surrender the role. He does look very young in the image, so if there’s going to be a timeskip from season one to two similar to the jump between 2018’s God of War and its sequel, God of War Ragnarok, it makes sense for the show to find an older actor to take on the role.
Thrud is being played by child actor Island Austin in season one, though it’s unclear in what capacity, as Thrud didn’t initially appear in God of War, and we didn’t meet her until Atreus did in Ragnarok. It sounds like the show will be bringing in more members of the Norse god pantheon throughout the first season than the 2018 game did, rather than keeping them all waiting in the wings.
The casting calls include the following descriptions for both characters:
Teen Joshua (Atreus):
After growing up in isolation in a cabin in the woods, Joshua went on a daring and dangerous adventure alongside his father that bonded the two of them but threw everything into question. At journey’s end he came upon a revelation suggesting he may have a destiny greater than he could have imagined. When we find him in Season 2, Joshua is eager to learn more about the truth of who he is. He is empathetic, brave, and immensely curious about the world. But as he finds his new identity and grows into manhood, his trusting-nature leaves him vulnerable to manipulation. Must be comfortable with physical combat, especially archery.
Teen Ruth (Thrud):
Because of an incident that changed the course of her life, Ruth is wise beyond her years. Confident, intelligent, and sarcastic, Ruth’s tough exterior masks a childlike vulnerability that causes her to be vindictive and cruel when hurt. Though she has a complicated relationship with her parents, Ruth shares a special connection with her grandfather, the king, and she believes he’ll choose her to be the heir to the throne one day. Must be comfortable with physical combat.
It’s unclear just how much the God of War production schedule has been affected by Hurst’s injury, as there is no word yet on who is now taking up the starring role as Kratos (Amazon plans to reshoot at least four episodes that Hurst had already filmed.) Whoever these teenage actors are that will play Atreus and Thrud in future seasons, they’ll likely have a long time to wait before they enter the Nine Realms. Until then, God of War fans will have their hands full with God of War Laufey, the Faye-led game coming to PS5 on February 16.