God Of War Prime Video TV Series Casts A Marvel Star As The Villainous Baldur

Prime Video's "God of War" TV show continues to rack up an impressive cast, having added yet another major name to the mix. The series already found its live-action Kratos in Ryan Hurst (the voice actor who famously portrayed the villain Thor in the original video game, of course) and has since added Callum Vinson as Atreus, the main protagonist's son and an integral part of the story. Now, the show's creative team is fleshing out the rest of the ensemble cast, and this latest news sheds a little more light on just how expansive this adaptation will be.

Prime Video has announced that "Deadpool" veteran Ed Skrein is officially on board as Baldur, the prickly son of Odin who was voiced by Jeremy Davies (of "Lost" fame) in 2018's "God of War." As that video game's main antagonist, Baldur poses a major threat to Kratos and Atreus, and it's no spoiler to say that their big confrontation continues to echo throughout the game's follow-up, "Ragnarök." The fact that he'll appear in this adaptation further hints at the show's scope and scale, which includes the events of both "God of War" games. Prime Video also released the following character description:

Baldur may be the youngest son of Odin, but he's his father's most dangerous weapon. Charismatic, unpredictable, and armed with a razor-sharp tongue, Baldur lives by his own rules. As a boy, Baldur was cursed; this curse denied him the ability to feel pleasure and physical sensation. This fuels an insatiable anger and bloodlust in Baldur, who favors a brawling fighting style that blends his immense power with the raw impact of his fists. Above all else, he longs for an opponent that can truly match his prowess in battle. An opponent that can finally make him feel something.

After playing colorful characters in "Deadpool" (you may remember him as Ajax in that 2016 Marvel movie), "Game of Thrones," and Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon" films (and briefly turning up in "Jurassic World Rebirth"), Ed Skrein is now setting his sights on a Norse mythology TV show inspired by one of the most popular video game properties around. Best known for playing antiheroes and outright villains, Skrein is staying in a similar lane for Prime Video's "God of War," adding Baldur to his collection for what might be his most pressure-packed role yet. Indeed, he'll be tasked with going toe to toe with Ryan Hurst's demigod Kratos as part of a larger ensemble that's getting bigger by the day.

Skrein is joining a "God of War" cast list that also includes Callum Vinson as Atreus, Max Parker as Heimdall, "Severance" scene-stealer Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok, and Mandy Patinkin as Odin. "The Boys" and "Shōgun" director Frederick E.O. Toye will take the reins on the first two episodes of the series, which will be overseen by showrunner and "Star Trek" legend Ronald D. Moore. The series has already been greenlit for two seasons and will hit Prime Video streaming on an as yet unannounced date. You can check out the show's synopsis below:

"God of War" follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.