Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, the actor who portrayed The Mountain in HBO's Game of Thrones, has publicly expressed interest in playing Kratos in the upcoming God of War television series. Björnsson, also known as Thor Bjornsson, shared an AI-generated image on X depicting himself in Kratos' iconic attire, complete with his signature red tattoo.
In his post, Bjornsson asked his followers, "Be honest... would you guys want to see me as Kratos?" The image showcases the imposing Icelandic strongman, standing at 6 feet 9 inches, in a physique enhanced beyond his already considerable build, evoking the appearance of the Spartan warrior. The red tattoo on his head is a detail honoring Kratos' deceased brother, Deimos.
While Björnsson's ambition is a compelling visual, the role of Kratos is already cast. Actor Dave Bautista was recently revealed to be undergoing a physical transformation for the part, following an injury sustained by the initially cast actor, Ryan Hurst. Bautista has shared glimpses of his progress for the role.
Björnsson's desire to embody Kratos is not an isolated sentiment. Several other actors have voiced similar aspirations, including Christopher Judge, the original voice actor for Kratos in the video game series. Judge has previously voiced frustration over the tendency for television adaptations to overlook talent involved in the original source material.
Production for the God of War TV show is reportedly set to resume in late October or early November. However, an official release date for the series has not yet been announced.