Dave Bautista reveals huge physical transformation to play Kratos in God of War TV series

Absolute gains.

A screengrab of Kratos in God of War Ragnarök showing Kratos on top of a building with a lightning bolt to his left and a flaming torch to his right.

Steam / Sony

Published: Monday, 2 November 2026 at 11:42 am

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Kratos in God of War is a being of superhuman proportions, and it seems that the actor lined up to play him, Dave Bautista, is on a mission to try and replicate the immortal’s popping biceps and huge physique.

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Dave Bautista is best known for playing Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, and with a background in professional wrestling, the actor is well-positioned to take on the role of Kratos.

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In an Instagram story posted yesterday, Bautista stated he had already gained 20 lbs for God of War. As he flexed his muscles in a God of War T-shirt, Bautista’s post also announced that he now weighs in at 250 lbs.

Bautista has continually been giving fans flashes of his preparation for the role, as two months ago he took to Instagram to show off his progress, but stated in the caption that he needed "2 more months to get where I need to be".

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Yet despite all this training, Bautista’s progress looms over the fact that Ryan Hurst was originally cast in the role, but after tearing a bicep whilst performing a stunt, production made the decision to recast the part.

Filming originally began in February of this year, but these scenes will now have to be reshot with Bautista replacing Hurst.

However, it's clear that Bautista is taking on the mantle of Kratos with the upmost care, with god-like levels of muscle emerging already.

Currently, there is no official release date, but filming will hopefully start back up in 2027. The series will have at least two seasons to its name as Prime Video seeks another video game adaptation hit following the success of Fallout.

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Radio Times's gaming content creator Belle Law smiles at the camera. She has dark hair, is wearing a dark jacket and stands on a bridge with a river in the background

Belle LawGaming Content Creator

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