For years, gamers have been enthralled by the story of God of War, set in a realm ruled by mythical gods and epic battles. But what if this action-packed adventure were to come to life on the silver screen? Excitement filled the air when reports of a potential God of War film surfaced, but these plans were put on hold because of an unsettling figure associated with the production.
Although it was long known that Brett Ratner was helming the God of War film, as of this writing, many of us appear to be in the dark about the details. The director, known for the Rush Hour film series and X-Men: The Last Stand, had his reputation damaged by a shocking incident. He faced serious allegations of misconduct, namely, m**turbating in front of an actress.
Such heinous actions stunned the industry, leaving many wondering about the consequences for Ratner’s professional endeavors, including the highly anticipated God of War film adaptation.
The Failed Attempt to Bring God of War to the Big Screen
We learned from Collider that there were plans for a movie adaptation of God of War even before the first game was released. David Jaffe, the original game’s director, expressed interest in a movie adaptation but had doubts about the film’s potential for quality. He was also skeptical that the film would ever be released, and it turned out that he was correct.
The film was slated to be produced by Charles Roven, who was thrilled to begin working on this exciting slate. Universal would handle distribution, while Sony Pictures would produce the film itself. During its active development period, which ended around 2005, Road to Perdition writer David Self completed drafts of the script, but no director was attached.
According to Engadget, following the debacle of X-Men: The Last Stand, Brett Ratner took over as director. Additionally, Daniel Craig was offered the role of Kratos; however, in a documentary included with the God of War: Origins Collection on the PlayStation 3, Jaffe claimed that the actor turned down the offer.
Jaffe did not think there was much chance the movie would be made (via UGO).
“For them to make God of War, I’m not holding my breath.”
On the other hand, Ratner, for his part, abandoned the project after just a year in order to focus on the 2011 heist comedy film Tower Heist. In the wake of the allegations of s*xual harassment and misconduct, he was also removed from other projects, which also saved this franchise (via the LA Times).
Brett Ratner Allegedly Mast**bated in Front of an Actress?
According to a report released by the Los Angeles Times, six women, including Natasha Henstridge and Olivia Munn, have accused director and producer Brett Ratner of s*xual harassment or misconduct.
Ratner vehemently refuted the accusations to the Times through his legal representative, Martin Singer. The latter to the LA Times:
“I have represented Mr. Ratner for two decades, and no woman has ever made a claim against him for sexual misconduct or s*xual harassment. Furthermore, no woman has ever requested or received any financial settlement from my client.”
The X-Men: Apocalypse actress Olivia Munn told a rather unsettling story about Ratner, according to the Los Angeles Times. She gave specifics about a number of unsettling interactions she had with the director.
“Olivia Munn said that while visiting the set of the 2004 Ratner-directed ‘After the Sunset’ when she was still an aspiring actress, he m*sturbated in front of her in his trailer when she went to deliver a meal.”
During a highly sensitive period for s*xual harassment in the entertainment industry, Ratner’s accusers exerted pressure on the director and his business associates, especially Warner Bros (via Variety).
Well, it is safe to say that the God of War flick didn’t escape the controversial shadows cast by Brett Ratner.
