Prime Video will recast the lead role on its upcoming adaptation of “God of War” after star Ryan Hurst was injured on set, Variety has confirmed.
Hurst had been set to play Kratos, the titular god of war, and Prime Video even released a first look at Hurst in the role this past February. But then the Sony Pictures TV/Amazon MGM series, an adaptation of the PlayStation video game, suffered a setback in June when Hurst was injured.
Prime Video declined comment on the news, which was first reported by Deadline. Hurst has been a part of the “God of War” universe for some time, having previously voiced the Norse god Thor in the video game “God of War: Ragnarok.”
Now, a new actor will have to come in to star opposite Callum Vinson as his young son, Atreus, and scenes will have to be reshot. Additional cast members include Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka as as brothers Brok and Sindri, and Ed Skrein as Baldur.
After the new Kratos is cast, Prime Video hopes to get production back on track by mid-fall.
The official description of the character states, “Kratos is Spartan by birth, and a god by nature. 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.”
As previously reported, the series will pick up with the story of the two most recent “God of War” games, in which Kratos must raise his ten-year old son Atreus while battling gods of the Norse pantheon. Per the logline, “Father and son Kratos and Atreus embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.”
“God of War” has received a two-season order at Amazon. Ronald D. Moore is the writer, executive producer, and showrunner on “God of War” under his Tall Ship Productions banner.
Frederick E.O. Toye will direct the first two episodes of “God of War.” Maril Davis of Tall Ship also executive produces alongside Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Jeff Ketcham, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee, and Brad Van Arragon. Joe Menosky, Marc Bernardin, Tania Lotia, and Ben McGinnis serve as co-executive producers on the series. The series is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios in association with PlayStation Productions and Tall Ship Productions.
Hurst’s credits include the new Christopher Nolan film “The Odyssey,” while recent TV gigs include “The Abandons,” “S.W.A.T.,” “The Mysterious Benedict Society,” “Paradise City” and “The Walking Dead.”