Ryan Hurst has posted his own photo as Kratos, and God of War fans are treating it as the first look Prime Video should have led with.
The actor shared a shirtless picture of himself in the role on Instagram Stories on 8 August, surfaced by X account @TheGameVerse. The image is likely months old; Hurst added no comment, only the Johnny Cash track “The Man Comes Around”.
It is an easy win over the official first look Prime Video released in February, which drew widespread ridicule for its CGI-like backdrop, fake-looking props and an unfortunate pose. God of War creator David Jaffe described the shot as looking “like he was s***ing in the woods”.
Hurst’s own response at the time was a post telling fans not to “believe everything they see on the internet” — read by many as confirmation the look was still a work in progress. Prime Video parted ways with him last month after he tore a bicep on set and needed surgery, saying it would recast the role in its live-action God of War series and citing a production schedule that Hurst’s recovery would have disrupted.
Why God of War fans are taking Hurst’s side
“Amazon made the biggest mistake by not waiting for him to heal or simply asking if he can still do it,” one fan wrote on X. “There’s no one that can be a better Kratos than Ryan Hurst.”
“They did him DIRTY with that first pic,” said another. “That first official photo really didn’t do him any favors, THIS should have been our first look.”
Some read Hurst’s choice of soundtrack as a parting message: “He basically said ‘this’s what yall gonna be missing on.’”
The actor was cast in the role in February after playing Thor in God of War Ragnarök. Deadline reports Dave Bautista is now in talks to take over — a casting that would signal a different approach to the character. tbreak covered the recast and the Bautista talks as they developed.
The series has no release date, with reports pointing to 2027. It will stream on Prime Video, which operates in the UAE. PlayStation owners in the region have God of War Laufey to look forward to on 16 February 2027.
Who is Ryan Hurst, the actor who played Kratos?
Ryan Hurst is an American actor best known for playing Opie in Sons of Anarchy. He voiced Thor in the game God of War Ragnarök before being cast as live-action Kratos, and appeared in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Who might replace Ryan Hurst as Kratos?
Dave Bautista is reportedly in talks with Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television to take over the role, per Deadline. Nothing is confirmed, and Bautista has never been a series regular on TV.
What is God of War Laufey?
God of War Laufey is the next God of War game, starring Kratos’s late wife Faye. It launches on PS5 on 16 February 2027, with a disc release confirmed.
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