By Jacob Miller | Jul 17, 2026
The project, based on Sony Santa Monica's popular game franchise, was first announced back in May 2022, and Prime Video greenlit the series that same December. Hurst landed the role of Kratos in January 2026, and filming got underway not long after, with the production fully active by the end of February.
What Happened to Ryan Hurst
Reports indicate Hurst tore a bicep muscle while performing a stunt on location in Vancouver this past June. He underwent surgery right away, but doctors expect a lengthy road to recovery. While a torn bicep typically heals within four to six months, getting back to the physical condition needed to play a character as demanding as Kratos could take closer to a full year. Facing that timeline, the studios opted to move forward with a different actor in the role rather than delay the show indefinitely.
By the time the injury occurred, the crew had already wrapped four episodes. Whoever takes over the part will now need to redo several scenes alongside young actor Callum Vinson, who portrays Kratos's son Atreus. Word is that filming won't pick back up until sometime around October, when production is expected to resume.
Why Recasting Complicates Things Further
This isn't a simple swap, either. The show draws specifically from the Norse-era chapters of the games, which began in 2018 and center on Kratos and Atreus journeying together to spread the ashes of Atreus's mother, Faye. That bond between father and son sits at the heart of the story, which makes losing the original Kratos especially tricky.
There's also the matter of Vinson's age. He's twelve years old right now, and by the time shooting resumes later this year, he may look noticeably different on camera compared to earlier footage. Because of that, producers may end up reshooting large portions of season one, even scenes where Hurst never appeared.
No name has been floated publicly for Hurst's replacement, and neither studio has formally confirmed the injury at this point. Still, if the fall restart holds, casting a new lead quickly becomes a priority. Whoever steps in may already have been a strong contender during the original casting process. Notably, Hurst wasn't new to the franchise before this role, either. He voiced Thor in the first two Norse-era God of War games.
The first two seasons were originally supposed to wrap filming by spring 2027. With this setback, that timeline has likely shifted to around July 2027, though it's still possible the premiere happens before all of that production work is finished.
