‘God of War’ series starts production, shares first-look photo
Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus on the set of ‘God of War.’ (Leah Gallo/Prime Video)
Prime Video has released its first look at its upcoming God of War series.
Additionally, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios have announced that production on the new series has begun. The first photo from the show’s set has also been released. It features stars Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson in character as Kratos and Atreus.
God of War is based on the popular ancient mythology-themed Playstation video game. It has already received a two-season order from the streamer.
Hurst previously played Thor in the Playstation game God of War Ragnarök and already has established familiarity with the franchise.
The storyline for the upcoming series follows “father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye,” according to an official synopsis from Prime Video. “Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.”
Also starring in the show are Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri and Danny Woodburn as Brok.
Eric Dane attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ at TCL Chinese Theatre on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Actor Eric Dane, best known for his starring role in the long-running ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, has died at 53.
Dane revealed in April 2025 that he’d been battling the incurable degenerative neurological disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
“My left side is functioning; my right side has completely stopped working,” Dane told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in June 2025, adding that he was rapidly losing voluntary function in his left arm: “I feel like maybe a couple, few more months and I won’t have my left hand either.”
Born on Nov. 9, 1972, in San Francisco, California, Dane caught the acting bug in high school and made his television debut in a 1991 episode of Saved by the Bell. More roles followed in shows including The Wonder Years, Roseanne, Married… with Children and others. Dane’s profile rose when he was cast in the recurring role of Jason Dean for two seasons of the long-running hit supernatural series Charmed.
But Dane’s breakout role was that of plastic surgeon Dr. Mark Sloan in the ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, which he played for eight seasons beginning in 2006. His character – referred to on the show by female characters as “McSteamy,” because of his good looks – made him a star.
In a 2025 interview with Diane Sawyer, Dane recalled one of his most memorable McSteamy scenes, early on his run on the show, in which he emerged from a steam-filled bathroom, barely clad in a towel. That moment, one of Grey’s Anatomy‘s most talked-about, cemented Dane’s status as a prime time TV heartthrob – yet he had no idea then of the lasting impact it would have.
“In the moment, it was just another scene to me,” he said. “I just remember walking out of a bathroom where a very nice gentleman was kind of blowing smoke towards me.”
Following his character’s departure from the show in 2012, Dane starred as Cmdr. Tom Chandler, the commanding officer of a U.S. Navy destroyer during a deadly global pandemic, in the TNT action drama The Last Ship. Dane played the role for the show’s five-season run, which ended in 2018. The following year, he was cast in the hit HBO drama Euphoria as Cal Jacobs, the closeted father of actor Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate.
Most recently, Dane starred in the 2025 Amazon Prime crime drama Countdown.
In addition to the television work for which he was best known, Dane also enjoyed a film career, with roles in movies including X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Burlesque, Dangerous Waters and 2024’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
In November 2025, Dane, the progression of his disease apparent, made a guest appearance on the TV drama Brilliant Minds, playing a firefighter with ALS who kept his diagnosis from his family.
Despite his ALS diagnosis, Dane told Diane Sawyer in 2025 that he was “very hopeful” about his future.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story,” he said. “And whether it is or it isn’t, I’m gonna carry that idea with me.”
Dane is survived by two daughters, whom he shares with the actress Rebecca Gayheart.
Gayheart and Dane married in October 2004. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 but later requested to dismiss that petition in March 2025, a month before Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis.
In a December 2025 essay for The Cut, Gayheart wrote that she and Dane never got a divorce, describing their relationship as a “familial love.”
“It’s a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love,” she wrote. “Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I’m going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me.”
She continued, “So whatever I can do or however I can show up to make this journey better for him or easier for him, I want to do that. And I want to model that for my girls: That’s what you do. That’s the right thing to do.”
In this handout photo provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Oscar statuettes are seen backstage during the 95th annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023, in Hollywood, California. (Al Seib/A.M.P.A.S. via Getty Images)
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has partnered with YouTube.
A multiyear deal has been signed that grants YouTube the exclusive global rights to the Oscars starting in 2029 and going until 2033.
This means that the Oscars awards ceremony itself, red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access and more will be available live and to watch for free around the world on YouTube and to YouTube TV subscribers in the U.S.
YouTube also plans to make the Oscars more accessible by offering features such as closed captioning and audio tracks available in several different languages.
ABC has aired the Oscars broadcast for decades and has the rights to the telecast through the 100th annual awards ceremony, which will take place in 2028.
“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette HowellTaylor said in a statement. “The Academy is an international organization, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible — which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community. This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honoring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale.”
Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, said, “Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”
Zoe Saldaña attends the world premiere of ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ at The Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on Dec. 1, 2025. (Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios)
Zoe Saldaña has dethroned Scarlett Johansson as the highest-grossing movie star.
This switch up in the box office leaderboard is thanks to Saldaña’s starring role as Neytiri in the Avatar films.
The latest film in James Cameron‘s sci-fi franchise, Avatar: Fire and Ash, crossed $1.23 billion at the worldwide box office on Monday, according to The Numbers, a film industry data site that tracks box office revenue. This took Saldaña to the top of the list of highest-grossing movie stars, with a total of $16,859,193,100.
Johansson is currently at #2 on the list, with a grand total of $16,435,483,784, respectively.
In addition to playing the female lead in all three of Cameron’s Avatar films, Saldaña starred as Gamora in many Marvel Cinematic Universe films, including the juggernauts Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. She played the character in all three Guardians of the Galaxy films, as well.
Additionally, she has starred in a couple other major franchises — including three Star Trek movies and the 2003 smash-hit Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Johansson, who starred as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the MCU, finds many of her highest-grossing titles tied to playing that superhero. Like Saldaña, Johansson also starred in Infinity War and Endgame, as well as the three other Avengers films, two Captain America movies and Iron Man 2.
After her starring role in 2025’s Jurassic World Rebirth, she went from third place to first on the highest-grossing movie star list. At the time, she had surpassed Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. for the title. Saldaña now surpasses all three of those actors.
The rest of the top 10 includes Chris Pratt, Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, Vin Diesel, Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson.
