After much speculation, Prime Video has officially confirmed Dave Bautista as the new lead in its God of War series. Deadline reports Bautista will play Kratos in the adaptation of the best-selling PlayStation video game franchise.
Bautista’s name became attached to the series after original star, Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans, Sons of Anarchy), suffered an on-set injury in June, four months into production. The timing of the injury and recasting all come after adverse fan reactions to the first-look image of Hurst and his on-screen son, Atreus, played by child actor, Callum Vinson (The Night Agent, FBI: International).
God of War weaves ancient mythology in following Kratos, a Spartan by birth, command armies for his homeland, when he strikes a deal with Ares, the Greek God of War, exchanging perpetual victory for his soul. Ten games have followed in the franchise, with the latest two additions being the basis for the TV series.
Ordered in 2022, Prime’s God of War will see Kratos master fatherhood as Arteus joins him on journey to lay their beloved wife and mother’s, Faye, ashes to rest. Apart from Vinson, the cast includes Mandy Patikin (Homeland, The Princess Bride), Ed Skrien (Ride or Die, Deadpool), Max Parker (Boots, Doctor Who), Olafur Darri Olafsson (Severance, Kiff), Teresa Palmer (The Fall Guy, A Discovery of Witches), Alastiar Duncan (Dune: Awakening, Avowed), Jeff Gulka (Brand New Cherry Flavor, Van Helsing), Danny Woodburn (The Witcher, Billions), Sonya Walger (For All Mankind, Night Sky), Island Austin (I Can Only Imagine 2, Insidious: Out of the Further), Ben Chapple (Playing for Keeps, Good Cop/Bad Cop), Louis Cunningham (Bridgerton, Upper Air) and Evelyn Miller (Gangs of London, The Wheel of Time: Origins).
The series is set to pull from Norse mythology, with characters such as Thor, Odin and Hemidall appearing. Not to be confused with the archetypes portrayed in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe.
The new production date is set for October with director Frederick E. O. Toye (Shōgun, The Boys) still helming the first two episodes. Ronald D. Moore (Star City, Electric Dreams) is the writer and showrunner, and will executive produce along with Maril Davis (Outlander, Helix), Cory Barlog (God of War II, God of War: Ragnarok), Naren Shankar (The Expanse, Almost Human), Matthew Graham (Redwater, Life on Mars), Asad Qizilbash (Twisted Metal, Uncharted), Jeff Ketcham (Prom Night, Transformers), Hermen Hulst (Until Dawn, Gran Turismo), Roy Lee (Hokum, The Vile) and Brad Van Arragon (Juno, Yellowjackets).
Co-executive producers include Joe Menosky (Star Trek: Voyager, The Orville), Marc Bernardin (Castle Rock, Treadstone), Tania Lotia (Invincible, The Witcher) and Ben McGinnis (Outlander, For All Mankind).
Bautista, who recently wrapped Prime’s Highlander reboot, is set to appear in films Alpha Gang and Ally. The former professional wrestler adds his only second series-regular role with God of War after appearing in Apple TV’s See.