Dave Bautista replaces Ryan Hurst as Kratos in the God of War series

Dave Bautista has signed on to play Kratos in Prime Video's fantasy drama God of War. Bautista joined the project after Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television decided to recast the role that was originally set for Ryan Hurst.

As Deadline reported earlier, Hurst tore a bicep while performing a stunt in late June, four months into the shoot. The injury forced the studios to rethink the casting for their lead.

Talks with Bautista began almost immediately after producers decided to look for a new Kratos. Prep begins this month, with production picking back up in mid-October in Vancouver.

One key detail for fans of the franchise – none of the footage shot with Hurst will be used. The crew is essentially starting the first episodes over from scratch. Emmy-winning director Frederick E.O. Toye, known for his work on Shōgun, The Boys and Fallout, had already directed the first two episodes with Hurst and will now redo that work with the new lead.

The recast leaves Bautista with very little time to prepare for such a physically demanding role. Producers are counting on his background as a professional wrestler, along with the conditioning he recently went through for the upcoming Highlander movie, which required him to bulk up significantly.

The series, based on Sony's beloved video game franchise, began filming in February in Vancouver. It has a two-season order, with both seasons shooting back-to-back – a plan that hasn't changed despite the recast.

Showrunner, writer and executive producer Ronald D. Moore is building the story around a father-son journey, as Kratos and Atreus set out to scatter the ashes of Faye, their wife and mother. Along the way, Kratos tries to teach his son how to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.