Prime Video’s “God Of War” series has hit a major production setback. Ryan Hurst, who had been cast as Kratos, is leaving the lead role after suffering a serious injury on set, and the four episodes already completed will now be reshot with a new actor.
Deadline reports that Hurst tore his bicep while performing a stunt in late June. The actor has since undergone surgery and is recovering, but his uncertain timetable made it impossible for the production to wait for his return. A surgically repaired bicep tear typically requires four to six months of recovery, with the process of regaining full strength potentially taking up to a year.
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That’s a tough timeline for any series, but especially one built around a character as physically demanding as Kratos. Hurst had gained a whopping 40 pounds of muscle for the role and spent months filming in Vancouver before the injury.
Production was immediately suspended and remains on hiatus. According to Deadline, Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios decided to recast Kratos after determining that Hurst’s recovery would extend beyond the show’s shooting schedule. Preparations are expected to resume in mid-August ahead of a planned mid-October production restart.
The series had been filming since February under a two-season order, with both seasons slated to shoot back-to-back. That remains the plan for now. Four episodes were fully completed before Hurst’s injury, but they will be reshot once the new Kratos is cast.
Reusing much of the existing material would be difficult because Kratos’ son Atreus is played by child actor Callum Vinson, whose growth creates another clock for the production. No replacement for Hurst has been announced.
Created by “Battlestar Galactica” and “Outlander” veteran Ronald D. Moore, who serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer, “God Of War” follows Kratos and Atreus as they travel to spread the ashes of Faye, their wife and mother. Along the way, Kratos tries to teach Atreus how to become a better god, while Atreus pushes his father toward becoming a better human.
The large ensemble also 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, and Danny Woodburn as Brok. Frederick E.O. Toye directed the first two episodes.
The show is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Moore’s Tall Ship Productions.
Lead actors are rarely replaced once filming has begun, but studios have faced similar choices before. O’Shea Jackson Jr. replaced Winston Duke in Apple TV’s “Swagger” after Duke suffered an on-set injury early in production. Netflix took a different route with “Cowboy Bebop,” suspending filming after John Cho injured his knee and ultimately waiting 11 months before production resumed.
The unfortunate injury comes during what should have been a banner week for the actor. Hurst was most recently seen in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” playing Elpenor, a small role opposite Tom Holland as Telemachus’ bodyguard and sword-fighting instructor. “God Of War” does not yet have an announced premiere date.
Edward Davis is a senior film journalist and longtime contributor to The Playlist. Davis covers the full breadth of cinema — from major studio releases to independent and international film.
