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Amazon’sGod of War TVseries saw a shakeup recently as its original showrunners departed due to the studio wanting to change its creative direction for the project.God of Warnow has a new showrunner, but what does this mean for the video game adaptation?
Given the success of recent game adaptations likeFalloutandThe Last of Us, fans were excited to learn that Sony Santa Monica’sGod of Wargames would be getting the series treatment. Prime Video’sGod of War TVseries has been in the works for two years now, and the studio was reportedly happy with the scripts that showrunner and producers Rafe Judkins, Hawk Otsby, and Mark Fergus had turned in. However, earlier in October 2024, the trio unexpectedly departed the series with Amazon revealingtheGod of Warproject would be getting a do-overwith a new showrunner and a completely new writers' room.
God of War Series at Amazon Gains New Showrunner
Barely a week after Judkins, Otsby, and Fergus left the series, Amazon announced the new showrunner for itsGod of Waradaptation. AsDeadline reported, Ronald D. Moore has joined theGod of Warseries as its executive producer and head writer, marking Moore’s first project following his new deal with Sony Television. Moore is best known for his work onBattlestar Galactica, Outlander, andFor All Mankind. The rest of the production team onGod of Warremains the same, with Sony Santa Monica’s creative director Cory Barlog, PlayStation Productions’ Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Hermen Hulst, and Vertigo’s Roy Lee all remaining as executive producers on the series.
Why Ronald D. Moore Is A Solid Choice
While the departure of Judkins, Otsby, and Fergus is undeniably a loss, adding Ronald D. Moore is a huge gain forGod of Warat Prime Video. Moore has extensive experience on big-budget genre shows, starting with his time as a writer onStar Trek: The Next Generation,Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, andStar Trek: Voyager.Moore then moved on to become a writer onRoswellandCarnivále, before he moved into creating and overseeing a slew of his own shows.
This began withthe reboot ofBattlestar Galactica,a series that was highly acclaimed and beloved by fans. Over its 76 episodes,Battlestar Galacticaearned 19 Emmy nominations, and won a Peabody Award. In the years since, Moore has launched and established several long-running television series, including the historical dramaOutlander,and Apple TV+’s sci-fiFor All Mankind, both of which have spin-off TV series in the works. Additionally, Moore oversaw the sci-fi anthology seriesPhilip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams.
Moore is a decorated and experienced showrunner who is well-versed in tackling complex genre series. While Moore typically works in the realm of sci-fi, his experience speaks to an incredible ability to build rich worlds, which will no doubt be an asset when it comes toGod of War’smythological lore. The showrunner also has years of experience establishing sprawling high-concept shows and has proven he is adept at working with existing source material, having rebootedBattlestar Galacticaand adapted Diana Gabaldon’sOutlandernovels. TheGod of Warfranchise has a wealth of existing history to draw upon, which makes Moore a perfect choice to tackle the series given his experience.
What Direction Will Amazon’s God of War Series Go Under Ronald D. Moore?
With Ronald D. Moore established asGod of War’snew showrunner, the question now is where he will take the series. Amazon reportedly wants theGod of Warseries to move in a new direction, but it’s unclear exactly what that direction is. When the series was originally announced, it was said to be starting the story within the Norse mythology era of theGod of Wargames, which was established in the 2018 installment.God of War(2018) followed the series’ lead, Kratos, after he’d left his bloody Greek history behind and set up a new life in Midgard. He’d married again andfathered a young son, Atreus,who he went on a journey with to scatter his late wife’s ashes atop the highest peak.
Fans are divided over whether theGod of WarTV series should begin the story with the earlier games, establishing Kratos’ story in Greece first, or whether it would be better to start with the Norse era and allow flashbacks to reveal Kratos’ past. As of now, it’s unclear whether Moore’s arrival will shift the original direction of the series or if it will adhere to the plan to start the series in its Norse era.
Regardless, what is clear from Moore’s hiring is that Amazon is not slowing down development on itsGod of Warseries, and perhaps this move was made in an effort to maintain momentum on the project. The adaptation is said to be a priority for Prime Video, which makes sense given thesuccess that recent video game adaptationshave seen.
