Dave Bautista confirmed as Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War series

Kratos has a new face

The 57-year-old actor confirmed the casting himself on Instagram by sharing an image of the iconic character on his story, following weeks of speculation that he was being considered for the part.

Bautista replaces Ryan Hurst, who had originally been cast as Kratos but has had to leave the production because of an injury.

The change means the series will effectively start again when filming resumes later this year, with footage already shot with Hurst being scrapped. Hurst had even appeared in the first official images released from the show earlier in 2026, alongside the actor playing Kratos' son, Atreus.

Another iconic role for Bautista

The role is another major addition to Bautista's increasingly long list of film credits. Since leaving professional wrestling in 2019, he has become particularly well known for playing Drax in six Marvel films, while his other work includes Dune, Dune: Part Two, Spectre, Army of the Dead and Glass Onion.

The God of War franchise itself dates back to 2005, when the original game launched on the PlayStation 2. Sony later completely reinvented the series with the 2018 PlayStation 4 game, moving Kratos away from Greek mythology and into the world of Norse gods while introducing his son, Atreus.

Now, Bautista will be taking on one of gaming's most recognisable characters as the long-awaited television adaptation moves into its next chapter.

What Dave Bautista's God of War show will cover

"Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human," Prime Video said of the series, which mirrors the game's story of a father and son setting out to spread the ashes of Kratos's wife.

Prime Video will now be hoping God of War can become its own major fantasy hit and attract the kind of audience HBO has built around shows such as House of the Dragon.

And there is certainly no shortage of big releases for gaming fans to look forward to, with Grand Theft Auto VI currently scheduled to arrive on 19 November 2026, while Rockstar is also preparing a new extended look at the game for later this month.