Kratos to be recast for live-action God of War series after filming four episodes
The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of God of War looks to have suffered a pretty major setback.
It appears the lead role of Kratos is being recast after four episodes after Ryan Hurst suffered an on-set injury.
Hurst, who had originally been cast as the iconic PlayStation character, was injured in late June while performing a stunt during filming in Vancouver, Deadline reports.
Production had to be put on hold and the series has remained on hiatus while the actor begins his recovery.
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Although Hurst is expected to make a full recovery, the rehabilitation period for such an injury is typically several months, with a return to peak physical condition potentially taking up to a year.
Given the demanding nature of the role and the production timetable, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios decided they couldn’t wait that long - so they’re recasting the main character.
Hurst reportedly underwent an intensive physical transformation for the role, gaining around 40 pounds of muscle and spending months preparing before filming began.
He is no stranger to the God of War world after playing Thor in God of War Ragnarok.
The TV series is expected to follow the events of 2018's God of War and 2022's God of War Ragnarok, featuring the father-and-son story between Kratos and Atreus.
The adaptation follows Kratos and Atreus as they journey to scatter the ashes of Kratos' wife, Faye, while confronting gods and monsters inspired by Norse mythology.
Alongside Vinson, the cast includes Mandy Patinkin, Ed Skrein, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Teresa Palmer, Max Parker, Alastair Duncan, Jeff Gulka and Danny Woodburn.
Filming is now expected to resume in mid-August ahead of a planned mid-October production restart.
Hurst, meanwhile, continues recovering from surgery while also preparing for the release of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which opens Friday (17 July).
“The titular character of the entire franchise, Kratos is Spartan by birth, and a god by nature,” Prime Video explains.
“Raised in a martial culture, he rose to command armies in service of his homeland until one day he made a fateful deal with Ares, the Greek God of War and lost his soul in exchange for being victorious in battle.
“Over the course of ten wildly successful games, Kratos vanquished mortals, creatures and gods alike.
“In the process, he became an iconic character in pop culture, known for his stoic nature, unchallenged combat skills, and tragic past.
“In God of War, the live action series, his story will closely follow the path of the last two games as he deals with something new: his ten year old son Atreus. This father and son dynamic began a whole new chapter in the legendary series and will be the heartbeat of the new show.”
LADbible Group has contacted Amazon MGM Studios for comment.
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Anish Vij