Ryan Hurst is out at Prime Video‘s God of War after sustaining an on-set injury.
The shocking news, first reported by Deadline, comes after the Sons of Anarchy and The Odyssey actor tore a bicep while performing a stunt in late June. On July 16, sources close to the production told TMZ they were hopeful that Hurst could return to the set by mid-August. However, that recovery timeline proved to be too long for Prime Video, and on July 17, the studio announced it was recasting him.
Hurst was to play the lead role of Kratos in the TV adaptation of PlayStation’s mythology-inspired video game series, with news of his casting breaking in January. By February, Prime Video released the first-look photo of him in costume as Kratos (above). Hurst was familiar with the franchise, having previously voiced Thor in the 2022 video game God of War: Ragnarök, for which he received a nomination at the BAFTA Game Awards.
This is a devastating turn for Hurst, who bulked up by 40 pounds of muscle for the part and spent months training for the show’s intense physical demands. Deadline says four episodes had already been filmed prior to the injury, and now all of Hurst’s scenes will need to be reshot with a new actor.
Read on for everything to know about Prime Video’s God of War.
THE CAST
Hurst’s exit will no doubt be felt by his co-stars on the epic television series. The main ensemble consists of Callum Vinson as Atreus, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Louis Cunningham as Modi, and Island Austin as Thrud. Recurring guest stars include Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Danny Woodburn as Brok, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, Ben Chapple as Magni, Evelyn Miller as Gna, and Sonya Walger as Freya.
THE CREATIVES
Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Battlestar Galactica) developed the show for Prime Video and serves as the showrunner and an executive producer. His fellow EPs are Maril Davis, Cory Barlog, Naren Shankar, Matthew Graham, Asad Qizilbash, Jeff Ketcham, Hermen Hulst, Roy Lee, and Brad Van Arragon. Frederick E.O. Toye is a director, and Moore, Graham, and David Jaffe are some of the writers.
THE PLOT
The show follows Kratos and his son, Atreus, as they set out to scatter the ashes of Faye — Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother — from the tallest peak in the nine realms. Their personal journey is soon interrupted by gods, monsters, and more.
THE FUTURE
Two seasons were ordered before production even began, and are filming back-to-back, which is why the studio couldn’t risk an extended delay brought about by Hurst’s injury. Production is ongoing in Vancouver and is expected to run until April 2027.
THE RELEASE DATE
Prime Video has not yet announced a premiere date for God of War. Stay tuned.
