Highlights
- Ryan Hurst has been replaced as Kratos after suffering a torn bicep while filming
- The actor reportedly gained 40 pounds of muscle to prepare for the role
- Four completed episodes will be reshot as production prepares to restart
Ryan Hurst's months of preparation to play Kratos in Prime Video's God of War have ended in disappointment after a torn bicep sustained during filming forced the production to recast its lead actor.
Hurst, who reportedly gained around 40 pounds of muscle for the physically demanding role, was injured while performing a stunt on the Vancouver set in late June. He later underwent surgery, but Deadline reports that his recovery would take longer than the production schedule allowed, leading Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios to cast a new actor as Kratos.
Torn bicep brings Kratos journey to an end
Production on God of War was suspended immediately after Hurst's accident and remains on hiatus.
According to Deadline, the actor's rehabilitation could take several months, making it impractical for filming to continue with him in the lead role. The studios reportedly decided to prioritise keeping the production on schedule while Hurst focuses on his recovery.
Before the injury, Hurst had completed months of filming after undergoing an extensive physical transformation for the role.
Episodes to be reshot with a new lead
The fantasy series, developed by showrunner Ronald D. Moore, began filming in February after receiving a two-season order from Prime Video.
Deadline reported that four episodes had already been completed before Hurst was injured. Those episodes will now be reshot with the actor chosen to replace him as Kratos. The report added that retaining the existing footage would be difficult because co-star Callum Vinson, who plays Atreus, is a child actor and production has been delayed.
Preparations are expected to resume in mid-August, with filming scheduled to restart in October.
Hurst's work will never be seen
Based on the PlayStation video game franchise, God of War follows Kratos and his son Atreus as they journey to scatter the ashes of Kratos' wife, Faye. Along the way, Kratos teaches Atreus what it means to be a god, while his son helps him rediscover his humanity.
The cast also includes Mandy Patinkin, Ed Skrein, Max Parker, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Teresa Palmer, Alastair Duncan, Jeff Gulka and Danny Woodburn.
The recasting comes as Hurst appears in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Despite months of preparation and several completed episodes, his portrayal of Kratos will not make it to screen after the production's decision to restart with a new lead.
