The recasting controversy for Prime Video's live-action "God of War" series continues to escalate. Ryan Hurst, originally slated to portray Kratos, recently tore his bicep while performing stunts, requiring surgery. This led the platform to announce it would seek a new lead actor.
However, after Hurst recently shared a new shirtless photo on his Instagram Stories, many fans have rallied behind him, arguing that his powerful presence far surpasses the official promotional image previously released by Prime Video.
Prime Video's initial reveal of Kratos's character image had previously drawn widespread mockery for its overly CGI-like background, poor prop quality, and awkward pose. "God of War" creator David Jaffe even quipped that the photo looked "like he was taking a dump in the forest." Hurst himself had responded cryptically at the time, reminding fans not to "believe everything they see online," leading to speculation that the look might not have been finalized.
With the new photo now public, fans largely believe the problem wasn't Hurst, but rather the poorly executed official photograph. Some fans argued that this new image should have been the initial public reveal, while others criticized Amazon for rushing to recast the role instead of waiting for Hurst's recovery. Prime Video is reportedly already scouting for alternatives, with "Guardians of the Galaxy" actor Dave Bautista considered a leading candidate.
Notably, Hurst posted the photo without a caption, only tagging Johnny Cash's song "The Man Comes Around," which fans have interpreted as a subtle message implying, "you're going to miss out on this."
via： IGN