Amazon has released its first official image from the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of “God of War,” but the response has been less than favorable. The image features actor Ryan Hurst as Kratos alongside Callum Vinson as Atreus, both dressed for a woodland hunting scene. Unfortunately, the reception has been overwhelmingly negative across social media platforms, articles, and YouTube. Like many others, I found it difficult to offer any positive feedback.

Ryan Hurst addressed the criticism, not by defending the image itself, but by advising fans not to make snap judgments. He took to social media on Saturday, stating, “Don’t believe everything you see on the internet, kids.”

While some speculated that Hurst might be suggesting the image was fake or AI-generated, it was indeed officially released by Amazon. Instead, it seems more likely that the image is not a genuine still from the show, which is currently in production, but rather a test shot of the actors in costume. This could explain why the image appears somewhat off, much like the recent photo of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft for another live-action adaptation. It’s possible the image is a composite, contributing to its unusual appearance.

Fans have taken matters into their own hands, using Photoshop and AI tools to “improve” the image by thickening Kratos’ beard or darkening the area around his eyes. A common critique is that Ryan Hurst, despite his towering 6’6″ frame, doesn’t match the muscular build of the video game’s Kratos. While his hunched posture in the image might not help, it’s also unrealistic to expect an actor to mimic the extreme physique of a video game character without resorting to unhealthy measures.

Prior to this, the “God of War” series had been lauded for its casting choices, drawing characters from both the first and second games for what appears to be a combined storyline in its inaugural season. This latest image, however, has dampened some of the initial excitement. While it’s crucial not to judge the entire series based on a single misstep, it does raise questions about Amazon’s decision to release the image if even the lead actor acknowledges its flaws. Hopefully, this is an isolated incident.

Before this, God of War had been praised pretty consistently for its casting of various roles from both the first and second games, which appear to be getting combined in part for season 1. Every part seemed spot-on. But this cooled off the vibes a little bit. I do agree, however, that we should not judge the entire show based on one bad shot. It does make me wonder why anyone at Amazon greenlit that in the first place, if even the star actor is confirming that it’s bad, but hopefully that does not happen twice.

Follow me on Twitter and YouTube.

Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.