Dave Bautista says he has gained 20 pounds of muscle while preparing to portray Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War series. The Guardians of the Galaxy actor shared the update in a video on his Instagram Story, putting his current weight at 250 pounds as he works toward playing the Spartan warrior.
The physical preparation follows a change in the production’s lead casting. Bautista was announced as Ryan Hurst’s replacement in August after Hurst tore a bicep while carrying out a stunt on set. Bautista is taking over the central role in the live-action version of the popular video game franchise.
A former WWE star, Bautista had reduced his size for other recent projects before beginning to build muscle again for God of War. Since joining the series, he has used social media to give fans updates on his training and his efforts to reach the physique he wants for Kratos.
In a September Instagram video, Bautista showed off his muscles and said he was in his third week of weight training again. His caption indicated that he expected to need another two months to reach his target. He described returning to the training routine as “Like ridin a bike!”
Bautista joins a cast that includes Callum Vinson, Mandy Patinkin, Ed Skrein, Max Parker and Ólafur Darri Ólafsson. Teresa Palmer, Alastair Duncan, Jeff Gulka and Danny Woodburn are also among the actors appearing in the adaptation.
The story centers on Kratos and his son, Atreus, as they travel to scatter the ashes of Faye, Kratos’s wife and Atreus’s mother. Their journey forms the basis of a story in which each tries to teach the other something about how to live, according to the series logline.
Kratos wants Atreus to become a better god, while Atreus hopes to help his father become a better human. The television adaptation will draw primarily from the franchise’s two most recent games, the installments that introduced Atreus and the father-and-son relationship featured in the series.
Ronald D. Moore serves as showrunner on God of War. The production was scheduled to resume filming in Vancouver in the fall of 2026, with Bautista continuing to share his physical preparation for the lead role.
