Frederick E.O. Toye Set to Direct First Episodes of Amazon’s God of War as Pre-Production Begins
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Amazon’s God of War Levels Up — Frederick E.O. Toye to Direct First Two Episodes as Pre-Production and Casting Push Forward
Per Deadline. Prime Video is officially swinging its blades into place for God of War, and the next big creative piece just landed. Emmy-winning director Frederick E.O. Toye — known for powerhouse work on Shōgun, The Boys, Watchmen, Westworld, and The Walking Dead — has been tapped to direct the first two episodes of Amazon’s highly anticipated adaptation of the iconic PlayStation franchise.
This is the kind of hire that instantly changes the temperature of a production. Toye has become one of the most consistent, high-caliber action-drama directors in prestige TV, with over 130 hours of episodic work and a reputation for shaping visually rich, emotionally driven openings. His Emmy-winning episode of Shōgun, “Crimson Sky,” alone makes him one of the most exciting choices Prime Video could have made.
Toye joins Ronald D. Moore, the newly installed showrunner, writer, and executive producer whose arrival last fall triggered a creative overhaul that reportedly pushed the project into “go mode.” Moore’s involvement — plus Amazon’s decision to quietly double its order to two seasons — signals massive confidence from the studio. For world-building this expensive, two seasons upfront isn’t surprising, but it’s definitely a sign they’re treating God of War as a flagship.
Pre-production is now underway in Vancouver, with production design, creature work, sets, and large-scale mythology elements starting to take shape. Just as importantly, casting has officially begun, including the two roles the entire gaming world is watching:
Kratos, the haunted god trying to outrun his past
Atreus, the son who will define his future
The series adapts the 2018 God of War game — the Norse-mythology reinvention that turned Kratos from a vengeance-fueled Spartan into a father burdened by guilt, restraint, and responsibility. The story follows Kratos and Atreus as they journey to fulfill the final wish of Faye, the wife and mother whose presence shapes the emotional core of the game. Along the way, Kratos attempts to teach Atreus how to be a better god… while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better man.
That human angle is exactly why Moore, a master of mythic emotional arcs (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander), is such a fitting choice. If the show gets this right, it won’t just capture scale — it will capture heart.
The executive lineup reflects that ambition: Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee, and Brad Van Arragon all serve as EPs, with writers and producers Joe Menosky, Marc Bernardin, Tania Lotia, Ben McGinnis, and Jeff Ketcham rounding out the heavy-hitter team.
Toye’s recent track record with Prime Video — including work on Fallout, The Boys, The Terminal List, and the upcoming Dark Wolf and Bloodaxe — suggests Amazon already trusts him with its biggest IP. God of War only cements that relationship.
This is shaping up to be one of Amazon’s most ambitious genre launches to date — not just another video game adaptation, but a prestige-level mythology epic backed by a murderers’ row of creatives who know how to build worlds, characters, and spectacle.
HMU will be following every casting move, production update, and first-look tease as God of War enters its next phase. The journey to Midgard has officially begun.