Prime Video will soon add a fantasy series to its catalog that will potentially be so ambitious and expansive in scale that it might even make iconic shows like Vikings feel small. After its premiere in 2013, Vikings had a solid run for a little over a decade. In its six-season runtime, the fantasy show barely experienced any major hiccups or declines in overall quality.

One season after another, Vikings only got better as it expanded its narrative to new Norse settings and civilizations. While the show’s creative liberties towards portraying history were always questioned, Vikings never claimed to be a strict historical documentary. Owing to this, its deviations from real history were never taken too seriously, and it was judged purely based on its entertainment value.

In terms of entertaining viewers and keeping them hooked, Vikings rarely stumbled, explaining why it is often touted as one of the best fantasy dramas of recent years. Even its sequel, Vikings: Valhalla, continued its legacy with a solid three-season run. However, as iconic as Vikings might seem, Prime Video’s upcoming game adaptation, God of War, might turn out to be even better.

Prime Video Is Going Big With Its God Of War Adaptation

Vikings is an incredible series in itself. However, owing to its emphasis on realism and need to ground its storytelling in real history, Vikings could not feature organized battles and raids. God of War does not have the same restrictions. As the games suggest, the Norse saga of God of War deals on a raw, apocalyptic scale. Even its portrayal of conflicts and warfare feels larger-than-life, with towering creatures and gods clashing with enough force to make even Vikings‘ biggest battles seem pale in comparison.

Owing to the fantastical aspects of its source material, God of War will also involve heavy use of CGI. While this does not guarantee that the show will be better than other fantasy epics, it highlights how ambitious the adaptation could become in terms of spectacle and world-building.

Prime Video also seems to be betting big on its God of War adaptation. Right out of the gate, the streaming service has ordered a two-season run for the show, which is rare these days. With Roald D. Moore, of Outlander and Battlestar Galactica’s fame, as its showrunner, the God of War show already promises to perfectly translate the games’ massive mythological scale onto the screen. The show has locked in Frederick E.O. Toye to direct the first two episodes, whose line of work in shows like in Shōgun, The Boys, and Fallout speaks volumes about what he can deliver with God of War.

Even the casting choices, including Ryan Hurst as Kratos, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson​​​​​​​ as Thor, and Callum Vinson as Atreus, have been no less incredible. With so many positive updates surrounding the series’ development, it is hard not to see how Prime Video is treating it as its next big prestige fantasy drama.

While only time will tell what the future holds for the game adaptation, it seems to have all the right ingredients of a show that can eventually rise in the ranks and become something truly monumental.

How God Of War Can Push Norse Mythology Shows To A New Level

Instead of unfolding familiar stories from Norse mythology, the God of War games take an intriguing approach where the Aesir gods​​​​​​​ are morally corrupt and even monstrous. Odin is far from being a wise, noble Allfather. Meanwhile, Thor is a terrifying, heavy-set, alcoholic brute.

Most viewers now have a very conventional, heroic image of gods like Thor, thanks to his representation in the MCU movies. God of War, however, is going to completely flip this image by portraying these mythological figures as deeply flawed and terrifying forces. The games are also known for cleverly borrowing fragments from history and Norse scholarship to present their own intriguing and dark reinterpretation.

Even from a visual standpoint, God of War is almost a mishmash of both conventional archetypes and grim realism. Characters like Thor are portrayed as literal powerlifters instead of having ripped godly physiques. God of War‘s portrayal of Norse myths is undeniably full of creative liberties. However, this works in the game series’ favor and will likely benefit the show as well.

It brings more novelty to the existing lore and allows the game and the upcoming show to be far more unpredictable than the regular fare of fantasy historical epics.

Comparing God of War with Vikings still seems a little unfair, but the upcoming Prime Video undeniably has the potential to become one of the best fantasy shows from recent years if adapted well.