Ryan Hurst will reportedly no longer play Kratos in the live-action God of War series. Sony Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios are said to be recasting their lead after he suffered a serious injury while shooting the God of War TV show.
The first television adaptation of Sony Santa Monica’s hit franchise was formally announced in May 2022, with Prime Video ordering the series that December. In January 2026, Ryan Hurst was revealed as the lead of the new God of War TV show. Principal photography began soon afterward, with Prime Video confirming production was fully underway by late February 2026.
Ryan Hurst Reportedly Tore a Bicep While Filming God of War
Kratos Role Being Recast Due to the Actor’s Physical Recovery Being Too Long
According to a new report from Deadline, Hurst suffered a torn biceps while filming a stunt on the show’s Vancouver set in June. He is said to have immediately undergone surgery but is not expected to recover for a long time. Such injuries can take four to six months to heal, but the physical demands of playing Kratos could reportedly keep him from returning at full capacity for up to a year. In light of those circumstances, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios have decided to recast the role, a move insiders described as difficult.
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Four episodes had reportedly been completed before the injury. Hurst’s replacement will need to reshoot some already completed scenes opposite Callum Vinson, who plays Kratos’s son Atreus in the live-action God of War series. Prime Video is understood to be planning to restart production in mid-fall, most likely in October 2026.
God of War Show May Also Need To Reshoot Some Scenes That Don’t Feature Hurst’s Kratos
The recasting is particularly disruptive because the relationship between Kratos and Atreus is central to the upcoming adaptation. While Sata Monica Studio’s games started all the way back in 2005, the series that Prime Video ordered is exclusively based on God of War‘s Norse era, which started in 2018. These games, which are soon to become a trilogy, follow the story of Kratos and his son traveling to scatter the ashes of Faye, Atreus’s mother. Reusing Vinson’s completed footage could prove difficult because the 12-year-old actor may visibly age before production resumes in late 2026. Given that state of affairs, much of the footage already filmed for the first season of the live-action adaptation may need to be reshot, including scenes that do not feature Kratos.
No replacement for Hurst has been announced, not least because even the news of his injury has not been officially confirmed as of yet. However, if Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios plan to resume production by fall 2026, they will need to recast the role on short notice. The part could go to the casting director’s original second choice or another leading candidate whose schedule is open this fall. Hurst had a connection to the God of War franchise beyond his immediate casting as Kratos because he previously played Thor in the first two Norse-era games.
Production on the show’s first two seasons, which were ordered together, was initially expected to conclude by spring 2027. Hurst’s injury and the subsequent recasting now appear likely to push completion to around July 2027, although the first season could still premiere before then.
