Anyone looking to portray Sony’s beefiest protagonist, Kratos, in a live-action God of War series would need to be suitably jacked for the role, and actor Ryan Hurst certainly looks like he spent most of the day at the gym. Following a devastating bicep tear injury that forced him to vacate the role, Hurst has posted an image online of just how massive he got to play the stoic god-killer, and that simple selfie looks leagues better than the official God of War TV series promotional image that preceded it.
While the image briefly appeared on Hurst’s Instagram Stories–quick-fire content that is only up for 24 hours–it was preserved by The Gamerverse. The original image didn’t feature any text, but Hurst did use Johnny Cash’s “The Man Comes Around” song for it. While there’s no clue as to when the photo was taken, it does show Hurst in a much better light as Kratos, complete with the signature markings of the character.
Several fans have responded to the image online, remarking that Amazon might have moved a little too quickly to replace Hurst and that the first promotional image for God of War didn’t do him any favors.
Facing months of downtime and rehabilitation, the best-case scenario would have seen Hurst return to resume filming on God of War in early 2027, but Prime Video’s production schedule likely necessitated that a replacement be found as soon as possible.
While a new actor to fill the role hasn’t been announced yet, Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista is reportedly being considered to take over. While he has slimmed down, he’d likely be able to bulk up relatively quickly given his history of preparing for physically demanding roles.
Beyond the upcoming TV series, God of War fans can also look forward to God of War Laufey when it launches on February 18, 2027, for PS5. It’ll be followed by another Kratos-led adventure in the future, as well as the remake of the original God of War trilogy.
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