Dave Bautista has officially been confirmed as the new lead in Amazon's God of War television series, taking over the role of Kratos. According to a Variety report cited by PC Gamer, the casting had been rumored for weeks, and Bautista later confirmed the news himself with a post on his Instagram account, as reported by GamesRadar+.
Bautista replaces Ryan Hurst, who was previously cast as Kratos but stepped down after suffering a torn bicep that requires surgery, ruling him out of filming. PC Gamer noted that Hurst had undergone a significant physical transformation for the role, reportedly gaining 40 pounds of muscle, a detail highlighted by Deadline.
Filming for the series had already begun in February, and production is expected to continue in Vancouver. Because of the recasting, all of Kratos' scenes will need to be reshot with Bautista in the role, according to PC Gamer.
The show is set to adapt the story from the first God of War game, following Kratos and his son Atreus as they journey through Midgard, battling gods while scattering the ashes of Kratos' wife. A second season is expected to draw from God of War: Ragnarök, focusing on the strained relationship between Kratos and Atreus as they prepare for the end of the world. No other recastings have been reported for the first season, though PC Gamer noted that producers are reportedly seeking older actors for the roles of Atreus and Thrud to account for a likely time jump between seasons. Amazon has given the series a two-season order, with the seasons expected to shoot back-to-back, as noted by GamesRadar+.
Separately, GamesRadar+ pointed out that Bautista's casting appears to have been jokingly foreshadowed four years earlier in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney Plus. In a scene highlighted by fans, Bautista's character Drax and co-star Mantis pose for a photo with fans, and the photographer refers to Drax as "the God of War," a nod to the physical resemblance between Drax and Kratos. The special was written by James Gunn, known for including pop-culture references in his scripts.