Dave Bautista is bulking up for his new role as Kratos in Prime Video’s God of War series. The 55-year-old actor revealed in an Instagram Story that he has added 20 pounds of muscle, bringing his weight to 250 pounds as filming prepares to resume.
The transformation follows a period in which Bautista had noticeably slimmed down. He had previously said that he needed around two months to prepare for the television role. Although 250 pounds is a significant increase, it is not the heaviest he has been during his career.
During his WWE career, when he performed as Batista, Bautista said he began at 325 pounds and reached 370 pounds at one point. He generally weighed about 290 pounds during his wrestling runs. For 2023’s Knock at the Cabin, he increased his weight to 315 pounds to portray Leonard before beginning to slim down again.
Bautista is replacing Ryan Hurst as Kratos. Hurst had also undergone a major physical transformation for the part, but a serious bicep tear required months of recovery and rehabilitation, leading him to leave the role. Amazon then selected Bautista as the replacement. Two seasons of the series have been ordered.
Based on the game franchise’s 2018 soft reboot, God of War will follow Kratos and his son Atreus, played by Callum Vinson, as they travel across the nine realms.
Sources: GameSpot.