Dave Bautista gains 20 pounds of muscle for God of War role

Dave Bautista has been preparing physically for his role as Kratos in Prime Video's upcoming God of War series, gaining 20 pounds of muscle, Variety reported. The actor shared a video on his Instagram story showing his transformation and current weight of 250 pounds while wearing a God of War T-shirt.

Bautista replaced Ryan Hurst, who was originally cast as Kratos but suffered a bicep injury on set that required surgery and delayed production. As a result, all scenes filmed with Hurst will be reshot with Bautista, according to Variety.

Filming began in Vancouver in February, and the series will adapt the storylines of the two most recent God of War video games. The plot follows Kratos and his ten-year-old son Atreus on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, while exploring themes of fatherhood and godhood.

Prime Video has ordered two seasons of the series, with both seasons planned to be shot back-to-back, Variety added. Bautista's physical transformation is part of his preparation to authentically portray the iconic video game character.