God Of War Ragnarök’s Thor Actor Reveals Unexpected MCU Inspiration

Thor’s voice actor in God Of War Ragnarök has revealed which Marvel Cinematic Universe character inspired him – and it’s surprisingly not Thor.

Ryan Hurst, the voice of Thor in God Of War Ragnarok, has shared the Marvel character that most inspired his performance, and it’s not what most would expect. God Of War‘s long-awaited sequel Ragnarok has finally been released, and players are able to continue their adventure as Kratos and Atreus throughout the Nine Realms. Among the foes the pair face is the merciless God of Thunder Thor – who typically isn’t seen in that light thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While God Of War Ragnarok‘s Odin was inspired by his son, Thor’s voice actor Ryan Hurst has recently revealed the Marvel inspiration behind the God Of Thunder’s voice and personality in an interview with Variety, as reported by IGN. While many may assume Thor’s character is inspired by his MCU counterpart, Hurst states that he actually based Thor on the Hulk. While Marvel’s Thor is strictly a hero with a charming sense of humor, God Of War‘s God of Thunder is fueled by “uncontrollable amounts of rage and anger” that appears in murderous bursts as he fulfills the role of Odin’s mercenary. Hurst also discussed the concept of the iconic “Hulk Smash” which he interpreted as “need[ing] access to superhuman amounts of strength, rage, and unpredictability.”

Related: God Of War Ragnarök As A PS1 Game Is Way Less Epic

God Of War Ragnarök’s Thor Follows Norse Mythology More Than The MCU

Fan theories like God Of War‘s Atreus taking Mjolnir from Thor in Ragnarok have spread in part because Santa Monica Studio is following Norse mythology so much more closely than the MCU. While Thor’s villainous role in God Of War may be shocking to Marvel fans, Odin’s son is notoriously angry, unpredictable, and murderous in Nordic stories. Ryan Hurst’s take on the character may be the most accurate that fans have seen in popular media thus far. Although it certainly is unexpected that Hurst was ultimately inspired by the Hulk instead of the MCU’s Thor, it makes sense for God Of War Ragnarok, where Æsir Gods are villains and Jötunheim’s Giants are more magical and heroic.

God Of War 2018 came with its own surprises, as the ruthless and bloodthirsty Kratos is a protective, if troubled, dad to Atreus on their journey to spread his late mother’s ashes. The two faced other legendary Nordic beings, and are facing even more Gods in God Of War: Ragnarok as they confront the ending of Fimbulwinter and the beginning of Ragnarok – the impending death of all gods and the end of the world. Players will also delve deeper into Atreus’ mysterious ancestry and his role as Loki, the God of Mischief (who also appears in the Marvel Universe).

Players should expect to discover quite a bit of Nordic lore due to the sheer complexity and length of God Of War Ragnarok. Since Kratos and Atreus will be traveling through each of the Nine Realms to take on Ragnarok, it’s assumed that the main story will take around 30 hours to complete, and 100% completion of God Of War Ragnarok extends this number to almost 70 hours. Now that Ragnarok has finally been released, God Of War fans are putting in the hours to battle against the brutal and angry God of Thunder Thor, and tackle the inevitable apocalypse in God Of War: Ragnarok.

Next: How Long God Of War Ragnarök’s Main Story Takes To Beat

Source: Variety (via IGN)