Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures have tapped Deadpool actor Ed Skrein to play Baldur in the upcoming Prime Video God of War show.
Just as fans thought casting was starting to wind down, the studios reappeared today to confirm yet another addition to the cast of its live-action TV adaptation. It’s an update that will see the star playing the primary antagonist of God of War (2018), promising to bring one of the most powerful characters in the video game franchise’s Norse universe to screens when the show eventually premieres.
Comic book movie fans may best recognize Skrein as the 2016 Deadpool movie’s villain, Ajax, but he’s appeared in a number of other big-budget projects in the decade since then, too. Audiences can also catch him in Alita: Battle Angel, Midway, or even a few episodes of Game of Thrones, but more recently, he’s played parts in both of Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies as well as 2025’s Jurassic World: Rebirth.
Baldur, who was originally played by Lost veteran Jeremy Davies, made his God of War debut as a relentless and near-invincible foe for Kratos and Atreus to deal with throughout the events of the 2018 installment. He’s another one of Odin’s powerful sons, and he also happens to be tied to some of the biggest action set pieces the series has seen so far. The show has already confirmed more than a few major players from its God of War Ragnarok sequel will also appear in the show, so it’s unclear how large Baldur’s role will be in the show.
“Baldur may be the youngest son of Odin, but he’s his father’s most dangerous weapon,” an official description for Baldur says. “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.”
Skrein gives Baldur a familiar face, but he’s far from the first to join the cast. When the show eventually makes its way to Prime Video, he’ll join Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as his son, Atreus. Mandy Patinkin will play Odin, with Ólafur Darri Ólafsson set as Thor, Max Parker as Heimdall, and Teresa Palmer as Sif. The rest of the cast includes Alastair Duncan, who will reprise his role as Mimir, as well as Danny Woodburn as Brok and Jeff Gulka as Sindri.
With Baldur’s actor now locked in, most of the biggest names from the God of War Norse saga have found their actors. One face we haven’t seen yet, however, is Freya, but considering her close ties to Skrein’s character, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see her show up in the live-action adaptation sooner rather than later.
While we wait to hear a release date for the Prime Video God of War show, you can see why we think the series will need to take a new approach to the franchise’s violent action. You can also read about why video game Kratos actor Christopher Judge has fans excited for the next game.
Photo by Cindy Ord/WireImage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
