Christopher Judge Explains Why He Did Not Return as Kratos in God of War Series

Christopher Judge, who voiced Kratos in the modern God of War games, could have played the character in Amazon’s television series.

Speaking at Fan Expo Canada, the actor shared that he discussed the role with the creators, auditioned, and even began training before ultimately deciding to turn it down:

“I thought, ‘God, what a great legacy to leave for my grandson.’ So I started training and got bigger. Then the reality of it set in. I actually auditioned. I had a terribly hard time remembering the lines, and I’ve never had trouble remembering lines. That’s when my mind and body started telling me, ‘You don’t want to do this.'”

Christopher Judge

Judge explained that at 62 years old, he no longer wants to return to the lifestyle of a leading star on a major television project. The actor recalled his years working on Stargate, when filming took up a massive portion of his life:

“I was one of the leads on Stargate from ages 33 to 44, and then I stopped. Now, at 62, I have zero desire to live like that again. I don’t want to work 16 to 18-hour days, constantly dieting, and training.”

Christopher Judge

Ryan Hurst was ultimately cast as Kratos, but he later tore his biceps, underwent major surgery, and left the project. He was replaced by 57-year-old Dave Bautista. Judge voiced support for both actors, though he expressed concern over Bautista’s current physical state:

“First of all, I want everything related to God of War to turn out great. Ryan seemed like the absolute right choice to me: he’s played all the games, he’s a gamer himself, and he recently became a father. Who else would fit better? […] When I heard Bautista’s name, I thought, ‘Didn’t he just drop around 100 pounds?’ I think he’ll do a great job. I just hope putting that weight back on doesn’t cause him any health issues.”

Christopher Judge

Filming on the God of War series is scheduled to resume in mid-October. A premiere date has not yet been announced.

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