Dave Bautista Transforms Into Kratos After Ryan Hurst's On-Set Injury Forces God of War Recast

Dave Bautista is three weeks into a weight-training programme to build the body of Kratos for Prime Video's God of War series, with two months of work still ahead before cameras roll again.

The 57-year-old actor posted an Instagram video showing his progress: posing, pulling off his shirt, and finishing with the character's signature stance. "3rd week in," he wrote, according to Deadline. "2 months to go" Deadline.

Bautista stepped into the role under difficult circumstances. Ryan Hurst, whose credits include Sons of Anarchy and The Odyssey, was announced as Kratos in January 2026. Four months into the Vancouver shoot, in June, Hurst tore a bicep while performing a stunt. The injury required surgery, and the recovery would have pushed production into 2027 Variety.

Rather than wait, the production moved forward with a recast. Bautista officially closed his deal in late August, according to a Facebook post from Filmmaker Life Magazine on 27 August and Variety's report on 20 August Variety.

Filming is now expected to resume in mid-October in Vancouver, starting from scratch. None of the original footage will be reused Deadline.

The series adapts the 2018 God of War game, which follows Kratos and his young son Atreus on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. The cast includes Callum Vinson as Atreus, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, and Max Parker as Heimdall Deadline.

Bautista is no stranger to dramatic physique changes. He previously slimmed down from roughly 143kg to around 109kg for an earlier role, shifting his training toward cardio and jiu-jitsu. This time the direction is the opposite: he is building mass back up to match the imposing, ash-covered Spartan at the centre of the story Variety.

The production has already weathered controversy this year. In March, God of War creator David Jaffe publicly slammed the first promotional photo from the Amazon series — which showed Hurst as Kratos alongside Atreus — calling it "terrible" The Hollywood Reporter.

For the crew of hundreds already assembled in Vancouver, the October restart means rebuilding sets, resetting schedules, and shooting every scene again with a new lead. For fans, it means a longer wait — but one with a recognisable face at the front of it.