Dave Bautista Hits a Major Weight Milestone in His Race to Become Kratos in ‘God of War’

Few video game characters carry as much physical baggage as Kratos. The Ghost of Sparta is built like a mountain, and any actor stepping into the role has to look like he could tear a god in half. That is a tall order for anyone, and it is the pressure now sitting squarely on Dave Bautista’s shoulders.

The road to this casting has been anything but smooth. Bautista closed his deal on August 20 to take over Kratos in Prime Video’s ‘God of War,’ replacing Ryan Hurst, who tore a bicep performing a stunt roughly four months into filming. At least four episodes featuring Hurst will reportedly need to be reshot.

Now, with cameras set to roll again, Bautista has shared the latest progress report. In a short video that DiscussingFilm highlighted on X, the actor reveals he has packed on another 20 pounds of muscle for the part and has now reached 250 pounds. The clip shows him flexing in a gym while wearing a ‘God of War’ shirt, with an on-screen “250!” and a caption celebrating the gain.

That number matters when you look at where he started. Bautista had lost 75 pounds over roughly three years before this latest transformation began. He said in 2024 that he had slimmed to around 240 pounds, down from 315 pounds for ‘Knock at the Cabin.’

The “20 more pounds” wording in the post suggests this is a second wave of bulking rather than the first. Bautista previously offered a glimpse of his progress, and the timeline he gave then lines up with where he is now. In a September 3 post, he said he was 3 weeks into weight training again and had 2 more months to get where he needs to be. By that math, he is right on schedule.

Still, 250 pounds may not be the finish line. Hurst’s own preparation offers a useful benchmark for what Amazon wants from its Kratos. Hurst reportedly gained 40 pounds of muscle for the role. One outlet speculated that matching that kind of gain from a 240-pound baseline could put Bautista around 275 to 280 pounds, though that figure is only a guess.

The clock is also a factor. Unlike many actors who get months or even a year to prepare, Bautista has very little buffer, as production on the series was slated to restart in October 2026. His own timeline runs into early November, meaning he will likely keep building right through the start of the shoot. That is a demanding schedule for any actor, let alone one who is 57 years old.

Fans have largely cheered him on. Commenters have welcomed his return to a bulkier physique and expressed confidence in his casting. One fan reacted to an earlier transformation post by saying the beast had been unleashed.

The stakes extend well beyond the gym. Prime Video has already ordered two seasons of ‘God of War,’ with both planned to film back-to-back, so Bautista’s body needs to hold up for a long shoot. The story follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they journey to spread the ashes of Faye, the wife and mother they lost. The series is based on the Norse-era games, particularly 2018’s ‘God of War’ and its 2022 sequel, ‘God of War Ragnarök.’

For Bautista, the transformation is a full-circle moment. He spent years deliberately shedding the enormous frame of his wrestling days, and now he is rebuilding it for what could become one of the defining roles of his career. If the 250-pound milestone is any indication, the Animal is well on his way to becoming a god.