Dave Bautista’s God of War transformation has entered its loud phase. The former WWE champion posted an Instagram video on Wednesday, September 3, showing himself flexing and roaring after returning to weight training for his new role as Kratos in Prime Video’s live-action adaptation.

“3rd week in to weight training again. 2 more months to get to where I need to be. Like ridin a bike! LFG!” Bautista wrote. The clip suggests the actor is steadily rebuilding the imposing frame associated with both Kratos and his wrestling career, although the timetable also raises fresh questions about when cameras will start rolling again.

Why Prime Video needs a new Kratos

Bautista joined the series after original lead Ryan Hurst tore his bicep while performing a stunt in late June. According to reports, Hurst had gained 40 pounds for the role before the injury required surgery and an estimated six-month recovery.

The change arrived at an awkward point in production. GamesRadar reported that four episodes had already been filmed, while Variety said Hurst’s scenes will need to be reshot with Bautista. Replacing the title character is not a discreet background adjustment, especially when that character is a towering Spartan god with a very recognizable face, voice and physique.

Prime Video has also ordered two seasons intended to shoot back-to-back. The schedule reportedly aims to reduce visible aging for Callum Vinson, the 12-year-old actor playing Kratos’ son, Atreus. Reshoots and a new lead therefore create more than a simple calendar shuffle. The production must preserve continuity while working around a young actor who will naturally change during an extended shoot.

Frederick E.O. Toye is set to direct the first two episodes, with Battlestar Galactica veteran Ronald D. Moore serving as showrunner.

When could filming restart?

Prime Video has not announced an official production restart or premiere date. Variety reported that work would resume “in the coming weeks,” while earlier reports pointed toward mid-October in Vancouver.

Bautista’s own caption complicates that estimate. His reference to needing two more months to reach his target physique led GamesRadar to suggest that filming could resume closer to November. That remains an inference rather than a studio-confirmed date, but it gives fans a clearer look at the physical preparation still underway.

The delayed schedule also makes release predictions highly provisional. GamesRadar projected that the show may not arrive until late 2027 or 2028 at the earliest. Amazon has not endorsed that estimate, so Kratos enthusiasts should keep their calendars flexible and their expectations away from permanent ink.

Bautista is reversing his recent physical shift

Bautista became famous for the huge build he carried in WWE and later as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In more recent films including The Killer’s Game, Trap House and The Wrecking Crew, he remained muscular but appeared noticeably leaner than during his early blockbuster years.

Kratos requires another adjustment. The Instagram video shows Bautista adding size again, though his post frames the process as gradual rather than complete. His two-month target also underlines how closely a major production can depend on an actor’s body matching a character’s established image.

Christopher Judge, who provides Kratos’ voice and performance capture in the games, has raised a note of concern about that expectation. Judge told Collider that he auditioned for the television role but did not want the demands of leading another series at age 62. He previously called Hurst “absolutely the right choice” and said Bautista is “going to be great.”

Judge added one caution: “I just hope it doesn’t cause any health issues to put back on all that weight.” His comment carries extra weight after Hurst’s injury and Bautista’s substantial slimming in recent years. Neither Bautista nor Prime Video has reported any health problem connected to his current training.

Who else is joining the God of War cast?

Bautista now leads an ensemble that includes:

  • Callum Vinson
  • Mandy Patinkin
  • Ed Skrein
  • Max Parker
  • Ólafur Darri Ólafsson
  • Teresa Palmer
  • Alastair Duncan
  • Jeff Gulka
  • Danny Woodburn

The story will largely draw from the franchise’s two most recent main installments, which shifted the action into Norse mythology and introduced Atreus. Kratos and his son travel to scatter the ashes of Faye, their wife and mother. During the journey, Kratos tries to teach Atreus how to become a better god, while Atreus pushes his formidable father toward becoming a better human.

That emotional relationship gives the adaptation more to manage than monsters, armor and spectacular combat. Bautista must step into footage already shaped around another actor, establish chemistry with Vinson and carry an ambitious two-season production. For now, however, the mission is more immediate: train, recover and become Kratos-sized on schedule.