Dave Bautista Cast as Kratos in Amazon's Live-Action God of War Series

Actor Dave Bautista, known for his role as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, has been confirmed to take over the role of Kratos in Amazon's live-action adaptation of the video-game franchise. The casting change follows an injury to Ryan Hurst, the series’ original lead, who tore a bicep and will have his scenes reshot. Variety reported that Amazon has ordered two seasons of the show, which will be filmed back-to-back, with production expected to restart in the coming weeks after a halt in February.

Bautista, 57, transitioned from a WWE wrestling career to acting in 2014 and has appeared in recent Amazon projects, including the action film The Wrecking Crew. He previously expressed concerns about continuing in physically demanding roles, noting a shift toward smaller-scale projects, but has now accepted the high-profile part.

The series is being developed by veteran writer-producer Ronald D. Moore, whose credits include Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica and Outlander. No official release date has been announced.