We got the chance to chat with Olivier Richters on the Street Fighter red carpet, who told us that he would love to play Tyr in Prime Video’s live-action God of War series.
Richters is a massive man. Standing over seven feet tall and weighing more than 350 pounds, it makes sense why he was cast as Zangief in the Street Fighter movie — and it’s also the reason why he wants to try his hand at playing Tyr.
In fact, he credits it for being the reason why he didn’t make the cut to play Kratos when Ryan Hurst, who was previously cast in the role, was forced to leave the project after sustaining a serious bicep injury while filming a stunt for the show.
“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.
“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.”
Richters mentioned this back in February on his Instagram account, showing himself decked out in 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 in the God of War show is currently unclear, he’s now reveling in the spotlight as Zangief in the new Street Fighter movie. In fact, he’s training in Street Fighter 6 right now with some seasoned pros with genuine hopes to be the “best” Zangief on all fronts — not just in the movies.
“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.”
As a member of the fighting game community, I can definitely say that we welcome Richters into the fold with open arms and can’t wait to see him at a major someday. Maybe Evo 2027?
Image Credits: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures