God of War TV Series Eyes Dave Bautista for Kratos as Season 2 Plans Take Shape

Amazon’s live-action God of War TV series is facing a busy few weeks behind the scenes. What started as an injury to its lead actor has grown into a search for a new Kratos, fresh Season 2 casting calls and a production schedule that now looks very different. The developments have quickly become a talking point across the entertainment industry, especially among fans who closely follow gaming news.

Bautista emerges as Kratos favourite

One name has quickly moved to the front of the conversation. Multiple Entertainment outlets report that Dave Bautista is in talks to replace Ryan Hurst as Kratos after the actor’s departure from the series. Hurst, who was announced as the lead earlier this year, tore his bicep while performing a stunt during filming in Vancouver in June.

Although surgery was successful, doctors expect his recovery to take several months. Rather than pause production indefinitely, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television chose to recast the role instead. Four episodes had already been filmed before the accident, meaning much of that footage is now expected to be reshot once a new Kratos is confirmed.

Bautista is widely seen as a natural fit for Kratos, with fans long backing him for the role. The former WWE champion brings both the imposing physique and blockbuster experience from Guardians of the Galaxy and Dune. His recent Highlander training has also left him ready for another action-heavy role, making the reported casting another closely watched story for PlayStation fans beyond this year’s latest game releases.

Season 2 looks ahead to Ragnarök

The changes may not end with Kratos. Separate casting calls suggest Amazon is already planning ahead for Season 2 by searching for older actors to play Atreus and Thrud, pointing towards the events of God of War Ragnarök.

Casting documents first reported by MP1st show the production is looking for actors aged 14 to 17 for characters using the codenames “Joshua” and “Ruth.” Season 1 originally sought performers between the ages of 9 and 12, making the age difference difficult to miss. The character descriptions closely match Atreus and Thrud, leading many to believe the codenames refer to those roles.

The descriptions portray Atreus as a teenager eager to understand his true identity after the events of the first game, while Thrud is presented as a skilled young warrior with ambitions tied to her grandfather, Odin. Both roles require actors who are comfortable with physical combat, with Atreus specifically needing archery skills. The move also mirrors broader gaming trends, with more studios expanding successful game franchises into long-running television adaptations.

One setback, several changes

Casting older actors also solves a practical challenge. Child performers naturally age quickly, and lengthy production delays can make it difficult to maintain continuity between seasons. Moving directly to older versions of Atreus and Thrud better matches the several-year gap between God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök while staying faithful to the original game development timeline.

Neither Amazon nor Bautista has confirmed the reported negotiations. Still, the search for a new Kratos, planned reshoots and Season 2 casting calls show Amazon is continuing to move the adaptation forward despite its biggest production setback so far, keeping it firmly on fans’ radar as attention also turns to upcoming latest game releases.