God of War TV Series Officially Recasts Kratos

Dave Bautista has officially signed on to star as Kratos in Prime Video’s live-action God of War series, according to Variety. The casting follows weeks of reports linking the former WWE performer and Guardians of the Galaxy actor to the lead role.

Bautista replaces Ryan Hurst, who was originally cast as Kratos in January. Hurst tore his bicep during a stunt on set in late June, an injury that required surgery and an extended rehabilitation period. Rather than pausing work into 2027, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television chose to recast the part.

Filming had already run for several months in Vancouver, leaving multiple episodes completed before the shutdown. The production team plans to reshoot Hurst’s scenes with Bautista and aims to resume filming in mid-October.

The first season adapts the 2018 video game, following Kratos and his young son, Atreus, on a journey across ancient realms to scatter the ashes of Kratos’ late wife, Faye.

More cast adjustments are planned for future episodes. Prime Video is searching for older actors to play Atreus and Thrud in Season 2 to account for the narrative time jump in God of War Ragnarök. Callum Vinson and Island Austin will portray the younger versions of Atreus and Thrud throughout the first season.

Amazon has not announced a release date. Because of the production delay and planned reshoots, a 2027 premiere appears doubtful, making 2028 a more probable target.

The broader franchise continues to expand in gaming. God of War Laufey, a PlayStation 5 title focused on Faye, is scheduled to release on February 16, 2027. Santa Monica Studio has also confirmed that another game starring Kratos is in development alongside a remake of the original Greek trilogy.

Source: Polygon