Dave Bautista has closed a deal to play Kratos in the upcoming God of War series from Prime Video. The major casting shakeup comes after original lead Ryan Hurst suffered a torn bicep during stunt work earlier this summer. With Bautista stepping into the lead role, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television will scrap the existing footage and restart production from scratch in Vancouver this fall.
The sudden recast follows an injury that halted production after the crew had already spent 4 months filming. According to reporting from Deadline, studio executives decided against salvaging any scenes shot with the previous lead. Director Frederick E.O. Toye will now reshoot the first 2 episodes from the ground up with the new star. Showrunner Ronald D. Moore still plans to film the initial 2 season order back to back once cameras start rolling again.
Stepping into the boots of the iconic Spartan warrior demands serious physical mass. Bautista comes prepared. His long career as a professional wrestler and his recent bulking regimen for the Highlander reboot give him the required size for the part. This project marks only his second recurring television role following his work on the streaming show See.
The live action story closely adapts the narrative arc of the modern PlayStation games. Kratos must journey alongside his 10 year old son Atreus, played by Callum Vinson, to spread the ashes of their wife and mother across the highest peak. Along the way, the retired god of war tries to teach his son self control while the boy attempts to restore his father sense of humanity.
The broader cast includes a large group of familiar television veterans. Mandy Patinkin will portray Odin, while Ed Skrein plays Baldur and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson steps in as Thor. Alastair Duncan will reprise his video game role as the talking severed head Mimir. The dwarven blacksmith brothers Brok and Sindri are played by Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka, with Sonya Walger rounding out the leadership as the goddess Freya. PlayStation Productions is co producing the fantasy project alongside Amazon MGM Studios and Moore production banner.
Source: deadline
