In july Deadline reported that Ryan Hurst, the actor who was playing Kratos in the Prime Video God of War series, is to be recast due to injury.
A new report in Variety suggests that the MCU’s Drax the Destroyer, Dave Bautista, is in talks to take his place when filming resumes later this year. Amazon MGM have not commented on the rumour.
In recent years, Bautista slimmed down and lost a lot of his bulk, but he has just come off filming Highlander with Henry Cavill and has been back at the gym, reportedly training three hours a day to keep up with his co-star.
Hurst, who had trained heavily to transform his body for the role, tore his bicep when performing a stunt for the show. He has had surgery, but the recovery time, which could be up to six months, was considered too long, and it is reported he would be unlikely be able to start filming until next year.
“According to sources, while Hurst’s full recovery is a priority, the period required for it was longer than the production shooting schedule could accommodate, leading to the difficult decision to recast the role,” reports Deadline. To make matters worse, it seems four episodes have already been recorded so there will have to be reshoots for these to slot in the new Kratos.
The God of War series will be skipping the Greek games and beginning in Norse mythology, and two seasons were ordered before the first scene has been filmed. Ronald D. Moore, creator of the highly acclaimed Battlestar Galactica remake, is the showrunner. He replaced Rafe Judkins, who was originally announced for that role, but left the project in 2024 due to creative differences.
Callum Vinson is playing Atreus, with Andy Patinkin as Odin, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Max Parker as Heimdall, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Danny Woodburn as Brok, and Alastair Duncan as Mimir, the talking head who Kratos carries around on his belt.
A more recent casting call has suggested that Season 2, which has already been ordered, will see some sort of time jump with another actor playing an older Atreus.
No release date has been posted for the series.
Source: Variety
