Dave Bautista takes over as Kratos in Amazon's God of War series

[midian182]

Something to look forward to: Fans' longtime wish to see Dave Bautista appear in a movie or TV show based on a video game is coming true. It's been confirmed that the wrestler-turned-actor has replaced Ryan Hurst as Kratos in Amazon's upcoming live-action God of War series.

It was back in January when we heard that Sons of Anarchy actor Hurst, who voiced Thor in God of War Ragnarök, would be taking on the lead role in Amazon's show. The news didn't go down too well with fans of the series, who had been hoping to see Bautista play Kratos.

Unfortunately for Hurst, he tore a bicep during the filming of a stunt for the show. The severe injury required surgery and would have delayed the restart of production until 2027. Rather than waiting, Amazon and co-producer Sony soon announced that the part was being recast.

The six-foot-four Hurst had piled on 40 pounds of muscle and was starting to resemble Kratos a lot more than he did in that first photo of him in costume.

Does a Kratos s**t in the woods?

Bautista famously dropped a massive 75 pounds back in 2024, saying he felt "uncomfortably big" after bulking up rapidly for his role in Knock at the Cabin. He also said he wanted to improve his physical comfort, protect his joints, and stop being typecast as a giant muscle-bound actor. It looks like he's going to have to make an exception for God of War and start packing on plenty of mass to play Kratos.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by David Bautista (@davebautista)

Variety writes that production on the show is expected to restart in mid-October, and all scenes with Hurst as Kratos are being reshot.

God of War has been given a two-season order, with both seasons being shot back-to-back. The show will be based on the story of the most recent games, as Kratos deals with his son and shouts "Boy!" quite a lot. It will follow the pair as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of Faye, Kratos's wife and Atreus's mother. Amazon will no doubt be hoping that it can repeat the same success it has found with its other big video game-based franchise, Fallout.

God of War reference in The Guardian's of the Galaxy Holiday Special
by u/DrHem in GodofWar

While this will be his first appearance in a video game-based TV show or film, Bautista has long wanted to appear in a Gears of War movie. The actor said in 2018 that he was pushing for a movie to be made along with the GoW rights holders. It never happened, but he did become a playable character in Gears of War 5.

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Dave Bautista takes over as Kratos in Amazon's God of War series

 

[Achaios]

Disappointed.

I had no idea who "Bautista" was and I see he is some Mestizo actor from South America who looks more Indio than Spanish.

Ryan Hurst at least looked the part, he's Caucasian after all. Always a fan of Hurst's since SoA, I hope this won't take him down. Keep at it, Opie.

 

[LordVile95]

Disappointed.

I had no idea who "Bautista" was and I see he is some Mestizo actor from South America who looks more Indio than Spanish.

Ryan Hurst at least looked the part, he's Caucasian after all. Always a fan of Hurst's since SoA, I hope this won't take him down. Keep at it, Opie.

The Ancient Greeks weren’t Caucasian… the role also requires them to be painted ashen so it wouldn’t matter if they were purple. That being said Bautista is part GREEK part Filipino neither of which is from South America.

Have you never watched a marvel movie then?

 

[torvuswalds]

The Ancient Greeks weren’t Caucasian… the role also requires them to be painted ashen so it wouldn’t matter if they were purple. That being said Bautista is part GREEK part Filipino neither of which is from South America.

Have you never watched a marvel movie then?

Lowkey, if Dave could get into the shape he got into for Spectre? Good lord.

 

[Achaios]

The Ancient Greeks weren’t Caucasian… the role also requires them to be painted ashen so it wouldn’t matter if they were purple. Although originally Bautista is part Greek part Filipino neither of which is from South America.

Have you never watched a marvel movie then?

I see you are trolling. Yes the ancient Greeks were Caucasian and modern Greeks are Caucasian too. Bautista looked like a Mestizo from South America to me. I see I wasn't far off the mark.

Anyway, I resent the fact that Filipino Mestizos are cast in the role of an Ancient Greek and I am sure Filipinos and Amerindians would resent a Greek actor playing a role of a Filipino or Amerindian.

 

[LordVile95]

I see you are trolling. Yes the ancient Greeks were Caucasian and modern Greeks are Caucasian too. Bautista looked like a Mestizo from South America to me. I see I wasn't far off the mark.

No they weren’t becaure Greece isn’t in the Caucasus. If you’re going by the broader definition of Caucasian that includes effectively every race which.

Anyway, I resent the fact that Filipino Mestizos are cast in the role of an Ancient Greek and I am sure Filipinos and Amerindians would resent a Greek actor playing a role of a Filipino or Amerindian.

If being off by thousands of miles and literally the wrong continent then sure.

Again Dave is part Greek.

 

[Achaios]

No they weren’t becaure Greece isn’t in the Caucasus. If you’re going by the broader definition of Caucasian that includes effectively every race which.

I meant "Caucasian" as a racial classification. In fact, the speakers of Ancient Greek that came to what is now Greece 4200 years ago came from the Ponto-Caspian steppe, right next to the Caucasus.

Again Dave is part Greek.

No, he is not part Greek, he is a Mestizo. If someone is going to play Kratos, I want it to be someone that looks the part, not someone who looks Amerindian or Filipino. I have nothing against Amerindians or Filipinos, but watching the movie APOKALYPTO staffed by a cast of Greek actors would be ridiculous and so is trying to make a Mestizo from the Philippines pass as a Greek.

 

[torvuswalds]

I meant "Caucasian" as a racial classification. In fact, the speakers of Ancient Greek that came to what is now Greece 4200 years ago came from the Ponto-Caspian steppe, right next to the Caucasus.



No, he is not part Greek, he is a Mestizo. If someone is going to play Kratos, I want it to be someone that looks the part, not someone who looks Amerindian or Filipino. I have nothing against Amerindians or Filipinos, but watching the movie APOKALYPTO staffed by a cast of Greek actors would be ridiculous and so is trying to make a Mestizo from the Philippines pass as a Greek.

David Michael Bautista Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 1969,[5] the son of Donna Raye (née Mullins) and hairdresser David Michael Bautista. His mother is of Greek descent, while his father was born to Filipino immigrants

 

[Achaios]

David Michael Bautista Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on January 18, 1969,[5] the son of Donna Raye (née Mullins) and hairdresser David Michael Bautista. His mother is of Greek descent, while his father was born to Filipino immigrants

Idc where the guy is from, he could have been born in the Moon for all I care. It's just that a guy who looks like a bald Danny Trejo doesn't look like a Greek. Idc if his mom was of Greek ancestry, he still looks like Danny Trejo to me.

He could play a Mongol Warrior or an Ottoman Turk and look the part, just not accurately represent a Greek.

 

[torvuswalds]

Idc where the guy is from, he could have been born in the Moon for all I care. It's just that a guy who looks like a bald Danny Trejo doesn't look like a Greek. Idc if his mom was of Greek ancestry, he still looks like Danny Trejo to me.

He could play a Mongol Warrior or an Ottoman Turk and look the part, just not accurately represent a Greek.

oooookay buddy. probably turn down the racism just a tad.

Edit: Also, hes going to be painted ashen gray because thats the ashes of his wife and child, so you wont see his skin color, so I dont know how skin color factors into this whole "debate" you seem to be having.

 

[LordVile95]

I meant "Caucasian" as a racial classification

Which isn’t a real thing.

In fact, the speakers of Ancient Greek that came to what is now Greece 4200 years ago came from the Ponto-Caspian steppe, right next to the Caucasus.

Which isn’t the Caucasus’s

No, he is not part Greek, he is a Mestizo. If someone is going to play Kratos, I want it to be someone that looks the part, not someone who looks Amerindian or Filipino. I have nothing against Amerindians or Filipinos, but watching the movie APOKALYPTO staffed by a cast of Greek actors would be ridiculous and so is trying to make a Mestizo from the Philippines pass as a Greek.

He’s literally part Greek which is more than Hurst is. He’s also going to be painted ashen. Just stop with the racism.

 

[toooooot]

Disappointing. He is gonna need layers of makeup to look even remotely like Kratos.

 

[LordVile95]

Disappointing. He is gonna need layers of makeup to look even remotely like Kratos.

As would anyone

 

[toooooot]

As would anyone

No. He is too old, he lost a lot of muscles.
His face is not brutal enough.
He is a bad choice from any angle.
At the very least, they could cast
someone who could even remotely be
believable as a Greek man.

It is that "we are Greeks" from an Indian actor all over again.

 

[torvuswalds]

No. He is too old, he lost a lot of muscles.
His face is not brutal enough.
He is a bad choice from any angle.
At the very least, they could cast
someone who could even remotely be
believable as a Greek man.

It is that "we are Greeks" from an Indian actor all over again.

Bro Dave Bautista is literally part greek and part filipino What do you even mean by that?

 

[Axeia]

Dave's a bit on the old side, especially if there's any plans to make more in the coming years.
But I guess if you swap out the actor you're kinda forced to move up the 'already famous' ladder if you don't want people dropping it in advance.

 

[LordVile95]

Dave's a bit on the old side, especially if there's any plans to make more in the coming years.
But I guess if you swap out the actor you're kinda forced to move up the 'already famous' ladder if you don't want people dropping it in advance.

Kratos is old at this point though

 

[Axeia]

Kratos is old at this point though

I would assume they don't drop you in at the end and keep 'old' Kratos for later seasons.

The man is 57 already, if it's successful and they get to a 3rd or 4th season he'd likely be well past retirement age. He already cut his diet / exercise by a lot because it was getting too much, somewhat doubt the next couple of years will be much kinder to him.

 

[LordVile95]

I would assume they don't drop you in at the end and keep 'old' Kratos for later seasons.

The man is 57 already, if it's successful and they get to a 3rd or 4th season he'd likely be well past retirement age. He already cut his diet / exercise by a lot because it was getting too much, somewhat doubt the next couple of years will be much kinder to him.

He’s with Atreus so they’re starting with old man kratos.

He hasn’t cut exercise he’s changed it

 

[texasrattler]

Damn they just replaced him over an injury he got literally working for them. Thats crazy.
If he looked the part and they let him go and Bastistas version flops, Sony going to look like fools. Injuries happen, part of life.

 

[m4a4]

Meh, I'd rather see Teal'c Christopher Judge play him (considering he's been his voice)...

 

[LordVile95]

Damn they just replaced him over an injury he got literally working for them. Thats crazy.
If he looked the part and they let him go and Bastistas version flops, Sony going to look like fools. Injuries happen, part of life.

It’s becaure with recovery and rehab you’re delaying shooting by 2 years

 

[Vanderlinde]

Disappointed.

I had no idea who "Bautista" was and I see he is some Mestizo actor from South America who looks more Indio than Spanish.

Ryan Hurst at least looked the part, he's Caucasian after all. Always a fan of Hurst's since SoA, I hope this won't take him down. Keep at it, Opie.

His role in bond as a villain was quite impressive.

 

[texasrattler]

It’s becaure with recovery and rehab you’re delaying shooting by 2 years

I see. Thats sucks. Didnt know it was that bad.

 

[toooooot]

I meant "Caucasian" as a racial classification. In fact, the speakers of Ancient Greek that came to what is now Greece 4200 years ago came from the Ponto-Caspian steppe, right next to the Caucasus.



No, he is not part Greek, he is a Mestizo. If someone is going to play Kratos, I want it to be someone that looks the part, not someone who looks Amerindian or Filipino. I have nothing against Amerindians or Filipinos, but watching the movie APOKALYPTO staffed by a cast of Greek actors would be ridiculous and so is trying to make a Mestizo from the Philippines pass as a Greek.

I am with you 100%. Every time it is a culture of a minority group, they literally study history to represent them correctly, including the right shade of the actor's skin. Enough with this hypocrisy.
Every race and nationality deserves authenticity in cinema.