Prime Video’s God of War series has a new actor playing the stoic god-killer Kratos, and as previously reported, it is indeed Dave Bautista. After the original actor cast for the role, Ryan Hurst, suffered a bicep tear during filming that forced him to leave the role, Amazon and Sony moved quickly to find a replacement. Variety reported that Bautista will now play the iconic video game character across two planned seasons.
While it’s bad news for Hurst–who recently revealed how shredded he got the role–Bautista is well-suited to the part. A former WWE performer, Bautista made a name for himself in the sports entertainment promotion, first appearing as an intimidating enforcer for Reverend D-Von. Working under the ring name of Batista, his career took off after he joined Triple H’s Evolution stable. Winning multiple championships throughout his run, Batista’s whole gimmick was that of a hulking monster who towered over most of his opponents and dominated them with brute force–no small feat considering that WWE had no shortage of physically imposing performers on the roster.
Beyond his physicality, Bautista has also proven his acting chops across multiple film and TV projects. In 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, he portrayed Drax the Destroyer, a fan-favorite role in which he played a bruiser with a tender heart (and remarkably good comedic timing), and Bautista used that momentum to build a successful acting career in Hollywood. While he has gotten slimmer over the years, the actor is expected to bulk up quickly for the role of Kratos, given how he has kept himself in shape and has been praised for his commitment to preparing for roles. It may not be the “GoW” dream role that Bautista has famously lobbied for, but Kratos could be a good match for the seasoned actor.
It’ll still be a while before God of War arrives on TV screens, but until then, there’s still a lot to look forward to in that universe. The next big game in the series, God of War Laufey, launches on February 18, 2027, for PS5, and it’ll be followed by a remake of the original God of War trilogy and another Kratos-led adventure.