Ben Stiller Channels Kratos In Hilarious New God Of War Ragnarök Ad With John Travolta And LeBron James
The "God of War" video game franchise is easily one of the most brutal endeavors in the digital world. Voiced in the early games by Terrence C. Carson and most recently by Christopher Judge, Kratos is originally referred to as "The Ghost of Sparta" for the harrowing tale of why he is perpetually covered in ash and filled with rage. His bloodlust is legendary in these games, and his capacity and reputation for killing all manner of gods and mythological beasts across different pantheons begin to precede him. Suppose that is bound to happen, though, when one kills almost the entirety of the Greek gods.
Although the original video game trilogy ends with Kratos seemingly dead, 2018's "God of War" picks up with Kratos no longer wielding his iconic Blades of Chaos but instead possessing a young son named Atreus (Sunny Suljic) and residing in a secluded area. Unfortunately, events are set in motion that sees Kratos pick up the deadly Leviathan Axe and face off against a plethora of Norse gods, only to find out that Atreus is actually instrumental in the prophecy of Ragnarök, a theoretical armageddon. With the release of "God of War Ragnarök" right around the corner, it seems like there is a hilarious new ad featuring several celebrity fathers and their children, with Ben Stiller truly channeling his inner war god.
The God of War Ragnarök ad pokes fun at the father and child dynamic in the series
Checking out the short on YouTube, one sees a group of three celebrities with their children — John Travolta, Ben Stiller, and LeBron James — in a group therapy kind of situation. Although Travolta and Lebron are wearing street clothes, Stiller is absolutely decked out in "God of War" gear and looks just like Kratos. Stiller has gone so far as to have the scar, red tattoos, armor, and fake beard to complete his ensemble fully. Stiller constantly compares the struggles of fatherhood with that of Kratos' actions, often referring to the portrait of Kratos and Atreus on the wall.
Though the children of these celebrities are visibly cringing at Stiller's revelations, soon James and Travolta are on board. Stiller then mentions that they should all be dressed as Kratos, as it helps parenting, and asks if Travolta wore his costume in public. Travolta answers in the affirmative and notes that people were pointing out how much of a great father he is, though his daughter injects that isn't why they were pointing. Stiller then asks Travolta why he isn't currently wearing the costume, and Travolta replies that it was ruined in battle, and again his daughter jumps in and clarifies that the battle was salsa. At this point, James asks if the Kratos costume is that important, to which Stiller retorts if his basketball costume (uniform) is that important. Either way, this hilarious ad is a perfect way to celebrate a game franchise that has started to be affectionately referred to as "Dad of War."