Dave Bautista is officially taking over the role of Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War series after Ryan Hurst had to leave due to an injury, and he’s been training hard to get into demigod shape.
The actor took to Instagram to share his training for the role. “3rd week into weight training again,” he wrote. “2 more months to get to where I need to be. Like ridin’ a bike! LFG!” Dude is already looking ripped, but he’s aiming to get bigger for Kratos.
Bautista mentioned he’s got two more months to get where he needs to be, which could mean that the series won’t start shooting again until November.
Hurst was originally cast as Kratos and had spent months in training, but during production, he tore his bicep while performing a stunt. He’s since undergone surgery and is currently in recovery, but he’s got a lengthy healing period ahead of him. Biceps surgeries typically require a four to six-month healing period, and getting back to full strength can take a year.
The production schedule obviously couldn’t be put on hold for that long, so Amazon chose to recast the role. Plus, given how physical the role is, it wasn’t deemed to be safe for Hurst to return any sooner.
The God of War series will follow father and son, Kratos and Atreus, as “they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. 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.“
Ronald D. Moore (Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer of God of War.
The first-look image of the series proved somewhat divisive, with many fans unconvinced that Hurst was the right choice. But the actor later posted his own behind-the-scenes image, which looked a lot better.
What do you think of Dave Bautista as Kratos in the God of War series?