Greatest casting news EVAR! God Of War lives in...

[Goddessreicho]

Djimon Hounsou!

Is this great or what?!

I mean in all seriousness, this is one of the best games ever made. Kratos is a great role and would make the extremely likable Hounsou an even more versatile actor.

I am all for this.

I don't want to hear that Kratos isn't black. He could easily have been written that way. Ancient Mediterranean life was more of a melting pot than most contemporary societies.

So yay or nay?

 

[DorkyFresh]

i think Djimon Hounsou is a great actor. very talented and versatile...he amazes me in every movie he's in.

unfortunately, in this particular case, his ethnicity IS a problem for me (sorry Goddess). he's deeply African, yet Kratos is a Greek Spartan. yes, there were plenty of dark skinned people in Greece but even in the video game we see Kratos without the ashes that cover him and we see that he's light-skinned. his facial features are also very African...so basically if he were cast they would need to change Kratos from a Greek Spartan to a Spartan from Africa. not to mention, imagine the uproar and jokes that would be made..."why they gotta get a black dude and cover him in WHITE make up?"

if they handled the movie with enough care and genuine creativity then i wouldn't mind seeing him as Kratos, but he wasn't even considered on my preferred list...

...Goddess, get ready for more "he's black" comments because i guarantee you they'll be posted.

 

[Goddessreicho]

But but...ITS OSCAR CALIBER HOUNSOU! How can people whine about that? They should be jumping for joy. No matter how bad the movie may turn out to be, he has a chance of rescuing it just by showing up.

An African Spartan is much more believable than a half black American Spartan who can't convince anyone that he's a murderous SOB, to me anyways. Everyone wants Diseal or the Rock, and if they get casted I will so campaign against it.

Is getting an African in the role any different than getting a Scot or a Jewish man to play it?

Besides a Black man so obviously voiced the part...no one seemed to have a problem with that.

I don't want to get defensive but, this is great news. No one could pull of that part as much as Djimon. Right? The creator of the game said so himself.

 

[Mr. Credible]

well, i've played and loved both games, and i always though kratos was black, he certainly looks like it without the ash on him, even if he is light skinned.

but anyways, i love the casting, as long as they can get dijmon to annunciate when he talks... he always seems to be mumbling, to me.

 

[Goddessreicho]

I would prefer Djimon over Butler. I don't think Butler wants to be another Spartan. Besides he came off as a Scottish Spartan, and that did ruin the mood quite a few times in 300.

 

[블라스]

I bought GoW2 and haven't played it

 

[DorkyFresh]

But but...ITS OSCAR CALIBER HOUNSOU! How can people whine about that? They should be jumping for joy. No matter how bad the movie may turn out to be, he has a chance of rescuing it just by showing up.

like i said, i never had a problem with his acting. he's a great actor...

An African Spartan is much more believable than a half black American Spartan who can't convince anyone that he's a murderous SOB, to me anyways. Everyone wants Diseal or the Rock, and if they get casted I will so campaign against it.

i wouldn't want Vin Diesel, the Rock, or anyone else who gained their popularity for being muscular. personally, i was hoping for someone along the likes of Gerard Butler...but not necessarily him (this role is too similar to King Leonidas).

Is getting an African in the role any different than getting a Scot or a Jewish man to play it?

yes...because a Scottish or Jewish man would be easily more acceptable as a Greek than an African. i have 3 Greek friends and none of them look anything remotely like Djimon.

Besides a Black man so obviously voiced the part...no one seemed to have a problem with that.

actually...i did. that's one of my few gripes about the game. i have nothing against black people, but it hurt the sense of believability (at least for me) when i heard Kratos talk because it sounded like a black man's voice. there are black voice actors out there that don't sound black when they play non-black characters (Phil LaMarr as Vamp in Metal Gear Solid 2 and 4) but Kratos didn't have that luxury. i don't think they were going for cultural realism for the voice actor so much as they were going for characteristics (aggressive, powerful, etc).

I don't want to get defensive but, this is great news. No one could pull of that part as much as Djimon. Right? The creator of the game said so himself.

that's true. his opinion counts a TREMENDOUS amount...which is why i said if they can pull the movie off with genuine creativity then i wouldn't mind seeing Djimon as Kratos. inspired casting to be sure, but it'd take some getting used to for many fans.

 

[Goddessreicho]

Well, I'm throwing my lot in with Jaffe. Because he wrote the movie script, which is what I hope the producers use in the final version, then I think that he can make us believe that Hounsou is an unfailing Kratos.

I'm pretty sure he kicked himself for not making him black in the first place if Djimon was his first and only choice for the role.

Edit: Jaffe didn't write it, but the looks of it, he was heavily involved. Hmm...David Self wrote it. He did Road to Perdition, which I loved, and it was a great adaptation. I didn't see 13 Days.

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

I don't want to hear that Kratos isn't black.

Well, too bad. It IS an issue and it WILL be brought up. Kratos was NOT African, despite the race of the actor providing his voice. As pointed out, if you played the game, you'd see he is nowhere close to being of African descent in appearance. No one is saying Hounsou isn't a good actor, but he doesn't look the part at all. Not that I care, because the movie(s) will never surpass the games.

 

[Agentsands77]

Djimon Hounsou!

Awesome choice.

 

[Goddessreicho]

Well, too bad. It IS an issue and it WILL be brought up. Kratos was NOT African, despite the race of the actor providing his voice. As pointed out, if you played the game, you'd see he is nowhere close to being of African descent in appearance. No one is saying Hounsou isn't a good actor, but he doesn't look the part at all. Not that I care, because the movie(s) will never surpass the games.

Well then if you don't care if the movie will surpass the game, why can't Hounsou play Kratos?

 

[Figs]

Hounsou is a good actor but doesn't think he fits the role. He better work out bigtime and I mean BIGTIME!

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

i think he fits perfectly. bring it on mr.honsou.

 

[Spidey Lover 10]

Djimon Hounsou!

Is this great or what?!

I mean in all seriousness, this is one of the best games ever made. Kratos is a great role and would make the extremely likable Hounsou an even more versatile actor.

I am all for this.

I don't want to hear that Kratos isn't black. He could easily have been written that way. Ancient Mediterranean life was more of a melting pot than most contemporary societies.

So yay or nay?

not that i'm racisit but, kratos is supossed 2 b white like in the game, although he was VOICED by a black dude, and that's fine. but DH, as good of an actor as he is, HE'S NO KRATOS! I think someone else should be cast as Kratos....but who? any ideas guys?

 

[JackBauer]

nope. not feeling it.

 

[Swordmaster]

not that i'm racisit but, kratos is supossed 2 b white like in the game, although he was VOICED by a black dude, and that's fine. but DH, as good of an actor as he is, HE'S NO KRATOS! I think someone else should be cast as Kratos....but who? any ideas guys?

I hate to sound condenscending, but what you think really doesn't matter. It would seem as if the deed is done, the ink is dry, and the b***h is dead.


Well, the first two anyway.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this. Honsou is without doubt a greatly skilled actor, but, well, Kratos was a Greek Spartan. Unless they get someone else to play pre-GoW Kratos and get DH to play him as the Warrior you play as.

 

[Eros]

kratos is greek, not african.

 

[xwolverine2]

hes got the hard face the muscles and the acting... but...
Kratos isnt even white... hes Bleach white!... thats what made him so familiar to me.
but im not gonna be picky..

ill wait to see whos directing it...and judge it on that i guess.

i have a small crush on greek mytho or w/e... so i hope they dont dissapoint. or it might mean the end of mytho movies for a long time to come.

 

[JackBauer]

Jaffee himself says that "you have to get past the fact that Kratos is Greek". well, as HAL said "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that".

me I much prefer IGN's choice...

 

[CristoTheSecond]

Who cares? There's white Greeks and black Greeks. Djimon is like casting gold when it comes to Kratos. I'm surprised people aren't jumping for joy.

There's nobody else who can act with that sort of physique. Djimon can.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

Jaffee himself says that "you have to get past the fact that Kratos is Greek". well, as HAL said "I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that".

me I much prefer IGN's choice...

don't see it. plus he does'nt have the voice for kratos.

 

[Goddessreicho]

Who cares? There's white Greeks and black Greeks. Djimon is like casting gold when it comes to Kratos. I'm surprised people aren't jumping for joy.

There's nobody else who can act with that sort of physique. Djimon can.

Amen my brother! Preach on. Djimon isn't casting gold, it's casting platium covered in rare precious stones. That's something you don't say no to, no matter what.

And for those who want historical accuracy, first of all its a FICTIONAL story based on a video game. Second it's about man from Sparta. Here's some 411 on Sparta. It was a city-state in what is now Greece. Pre-Alexander, the Greek city states were not united. They didn't call themselves Greek. And Sparta refused to acknowledge Athenian government as sovereign rule.

So um technically the Spartans weren't Greek. They were Spartan. And yes, they were known to take in outsiders if they proved their loyalty to Sparta. Who knows, maybe that could be part of Djimon-Kratos's past.

 

[Hush]

I think this thread title is a bit exagerated, Christian Bale was the best casting choice, as you say, EVAR! So yeah.......no...its not. ON topic I wouldnt mind IGN's casting choice, but DH has got that violent screaming voice.

 

[Goddessreicho]

I happen to be an equal fan of both Bale and Hounsou. So having them rip the action/fantasy/comic book genre a new one with real skills in acting is near orgasmic.

It's seems to be an agreement that Djimon can act like Kratos, people can't get over him being black.

What would you rather have an A+ actor who doesn't share the same ethnic backround but who can without a doubt pull of the part, or a meh C grade actor who could be considered a dead ringer?

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

I think this thread title is a bit exagerated, Christian Bale was the best casting choice, as you say, EVAR! So yeah.......no...its not. ON topic I wouldnt mind IGN's casting choice, but DH has got that violent screaming voice.

i think you need to get off whatever you're smoking