Prime Video’s God of War Recasts Kratos After Ryan Hurst’s Bicep Injury
Prime Video’s live-action “God of War” series is recasting the role of Kratos after lead actor Ryan Hurst tore a bicep performing a stunt on set in late June, according to Deadline, which first reported the exclusive. Variety and multiple other outlets have since confirmed the studios, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios, have decided to bring in a new actor rather than wait out Hurst’s recovery.
The decision, made after a careful consideration by the studios on the show, comes after Ryan Hurst, who had been originally cast as Kratos, was seriously injured on the set of the PlayStation video game adaptation in late June. The situation echoes a rare prior case in the industry: O’Shea Jackson Jr. replaced Winston Duke as the lead of Apple TV’s Kevin Durant drama “Swagger” in February 2020 after Duke was injured on set early in Season 1 production.
How Ryan Hurst Was Hurt Filming God of War in Vancouver
Hurst tore a bicep while doing a stunt on the show, as first reported by TMZ. According to sources, he has since undergone surgery and is now recovering. The production had been shooting in Vancouver since February.
Hurst underwent a physical transformation after getting the role, putting on 40 lbs of muscle, and worked hard for months on the Vancouver set filming the physically demanding role until getting hurt performing his duties. According to sources, while Hurst’s full recovery is a priority, the period required for it was longer than the production shooting schedule could accommodate, leading to the difficult decision to recast the role.
Four Completed Episodes Will Reportedly Need Reshoots
According to sources, four episodes had been fully completed at the time of the incident. They will now be reshot with the new actor who will take over the role of Kratos. Complicating matters further, the young co-star playing Kratos’ son cannot simply wait around while a replacement is found.
With the co-lead, Atreus, played by a child actor, Callum Vinson, it would be hard to use much of the existing footage as kids grow up fast. That constraint appears to have pushed the studios toward a full recast rather than a production hiatus. Prep is expected to begin in mid-August for a mid-October production start.
Hurst’s Deep Ties to the God of War Franchise
The recasting is a blow for Hurst beyond the physical toll. Hurst has been a part of the “God of War” universe for some time, having previously voiced the Norse god Thor in the video game “God of War: Ragnarok.” The news also comes less than six months after an early still image from the set featuring Hurst became a widely mocked internet meme.
Fan reaction to Hurst’s casting had been mixed from the start, given the character’s long association in the games with actor Christopher Judge. Christopher Judge came to redefine the role with his performances in God of War (2018) and God of War: Ragnarök, and Hurst didn’t immediately scan as having the same level of gravitas.
For Hurst personally, the timing is bittersweet. The recasting comes as he faces an extensive recovery in what was supposed to be a great week for him, since Hurst appears in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
The Series’ Cast, Creative Team and Two-Season Order
“God of War” has received a two-season order at Amazon, with Ronald D. Moore serving as writer, executive producer and showrunner under his Tall Ship Productions banner. Frederick E.O. Toye will direct the first two episodes, with Maril Davis of Tall Ship also executive producing alongside Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Jeff Ketcham, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee, and Brad Van Arragon.
The supporting cast remains attached around the vacant lead role. The ensemble includes Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Danny Woodburn as Brok, Louis Cunningham as Modi, Sonya Walger as Freya, and Island Austin as Thrud.
The show adapts the Norse-set chapters of Sony Santa Monica’s franchise. Kratos was created by David Jaffe, with the original games starting in 2005 from developer Santa Monica Studio, before newer entries — the 2018 reboot and 2022’s “God of War Ragnarök” — shifted to the Norse pantheon, following Kratos as he teams up with his son, Atreus.
Neither Sony Pictures Television nor Amazon MGM Studios has publicly detailed who will replace Hurst, and Prime Video declined to comment on the news, which was first reported by Deadline. For Australian and New Zealand subscribers who have followed the show’s development since its first-look images went live in February, the mid-October restart means the series’ eventual debut is likely to slip well into 2027, though Prime Video has not issued a formal release window.
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