•Speaking with IGN on the Street Fighter red carpet, actor Olivier Richters revealed that he auditioned for the role of Kratos in Prime Video’s live-action God of War series and would love to play Tyr in a future season.
Richters is known for playing Zangief in the recent Street Fighter movie. Standing over seven feet tall and weighing more than 350 pounds, he said his size was why he was cast as Zangief — and also why he wanted to try playing Tyr.
He credited that same stature with helping him get far enough in the Kratos casting process to notice when Ryan Hurst, previously cast in the role, left the project after sustaining a serious bicep injury while filming a stunt for the show. Richter’s audition ultimately did not win the part.
“I think I can be open [about it],” he told us. “I did an audition. I really got high up the chain, even got two callbacks, and eventually they chose Dave Bautista. Much respect for him, he’s a great choice. Of course, in some universe if he didn’t exist, I would have loved to play the role. Maybe in the future.”
Olivier Richters
Richters said his agent communicated his interest in Tyr to the show’s creators.
“Every year I’m acting, I’m learning more and more. If I’m really honest, I think there’s one character who suits me better, and that’s Tyr. I would love to play him. I don’t know if he’s gonna be portrayed in the first season or second season, but my agent told them, ‘Olivier wants to be Tyr.’ So, let’s see if it happens.”
Olivier Richters
Richters first mentioned this desire back in February on his Instagram account, where he posted himself wearing a Kratos cosplay. “Realistically… at 7’2″ / 2.18m, I might be too big for the role. I would literally tower over every other character. My real dream? A chance to audition for Týr. That would, in my opinion, be perfect,” he wrote.
While his future with the God of War show remains unclear, Richters is now focused on his role as Zangief in the Street Fighter movie and training in Street Fighter 6 with experienced players, hoping to become “the best” Zangief beyond just the films.
“I’m not lying — I’m really dedicated to becoming one of the best Zangiefs out there,” he revealed. “I’m not there yet, but I want to enter a tournament one time as the real Zangief playing Zangief. I just met a pro Zangief player, we spoke, and we’re gonna train together. If there is gonna be a second [movie], I want to be the ultimate Zangief.”
Olivier Richters
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s Nieuws Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she has a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.
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