- Primary Subject: God of War (Prime Video Live-Action Series)
- Key Update: Game actor Christopher Judge explained he turned down playing live-action Kratos due to the grueling 18-hour workdays, intense physical upkeep, and line-memorization difficulties at age 62.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: September 2, 2026
- Quick Answer: Christopher Judge refused to play live-action Kratos due to the physical strain of long production hours, strict dieting, and difficulty memorizing lines at age 62.
God of War voice actor Christopher Judge revealed why he refused to play Kratos in Prime Video’s upcoming live-action adaptation of the hit PlayStation game.
Before Ryan Hurst was replaced by Dave Bautista as the new Ghost of Sparta, Judge had been voicing and playing the role in the games for about eight years. So, why didn’t he want to reprise the role in the live-action series?
Why Did Christopher Judge Refuse to Do the God of War Live-Action Series?
Christopher Judge first played Kratos in the 2018 game God of War. Since then, he has built a legion of fans who want him to take on the role in the live-action adaptation.
However, while he did consider starring in the series, he ultimately decided not to pursue it.
“I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to, at 62 years old, work 16-to-18-hour days,” he said at Fan Expo Canada (via Collider). “I didn’t want to be dieting constantly; I didn’t want to be working out constantly.”
The actor admitted that he almost played the role, especially after talking to his grandson, and even read for the part. In fact, he put in the work and started working out to build his physique.
“We had talked, and I thought, ‘God, what a great legacy to leave for my grandson.’ So I started working out. I got bigger,” he continued.
However, something changed when he found it difficult to memorize his lines.
“Then, just the reality of it… because I did read! I did read for it. It was so hard for me to memorize my lines, which I never had a problem with. And that was my mind and body starting to tell me, ‘You don’t want to do this,’” he added.
Having worked on Stargate from the age of 33 and eventually stopping at 44, Judge realized that he didn’t want to live that way again, especially as he gets older.
“At 62, to be the lead, I just have no desire to live that way again,” he admitted.
What Can Christopher Judge Say About God of War’s New Lead?
Having played Kratos for almost a decade, Christopher Judge has nothing but love for the role. In fact, he has shared his excitement about Prime Video’s God of War live-action adaptation and wants it to succeed.
For him, Ryan Hurst was the “absolute right choice” until he needed to be replaced due to an on-set injury that required surgery and a long recovery.
“He’s played all the games. He’s a gamer and new father; like, who better? Then when he got hurt, it was like, are they going to take time to read with and call people back?” he said about Hurst.
So when he heard that Dave Bautista was eventually cast for the role, he knew the actor would also be great but hoped he could make it work after losing some weight.
“When I heard the name of Bautista, I thought, ‘Didn’t he just lose like 100 pounds?’ So I hope he’s going to be great. I think he’s going to be great. I just hope it doesn’t cause any health issues to put back on all that weight,” he added.
Back in 2024, Bautista revealed that he started slimming down after feeling “uncomfortably big” when he gained over 300 pounds for the movie Knock at the Cabin. He dedicated himself to jiu-jitsu and a balanced diet to get back into shape at the time.
Now, it looks like he has to pack on the weight again as the new Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity news!