Prime Video’s upcoming God of War series is already winning over fans, and a major reason is its casting of Thor. Viewers are reacting strongly to how different this version of the God of Thunder looks and feels compared to Marvel’s popular interpretation.
God of War fans have the same reaction over Thor’s casting
Prime Video has officially added two major actors to its live-action adaptation of God of War, expanding the world introduced in 2022’s God of War: Ragnarok. Mandy Patinkin has been cast as Odin, the calculating king of the Aesir and the primary antagonist of Ragnarok. Patinkin is widely known for playing Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride, and fans expect him to bring weight and menace to the role.
Alongside him, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson will be seen as Thor. Ólafsson, who Severance viewers recognize as the intimidating Mr. Drummond, represents a stark shift from the superhero-style Thor popularized in the Marvel. The casting has drawn near-universal praise from God of War fans. Many say this version of Thor feels ripped straight from Norse mythology and the games themselves, rather than inspired by Marvel.
One fan wrote on X, “Thor just found his perfect face. Ólafur Darri, yes!” Another added, “Casting Ólafur Darri Ólafsson for ‘God of War’ is a great move.”
Other reactions leaned heavily into the contrast with Marvel’s Thor. One post read, “Finally, a Thor that looks like he actually eats entire boars for dinner. No abs, just pure powerbelly. Marvel could never.” Another fan summed up the mood by saying, “Not MCU Thor — real God of War Thor. Brutal, heavy, intimidating. Nailed it.”
Fans are responding to how game-accurate this version of Thor appears. In Ragnarok, Thor is a central antagonist, driven by loss and rage after Kratos and Atreus kill his brother, an event that triggers the apocalyptic chain of events tied to Norse mythology.
