Dave Bautista has now been officially confirmed as the new Kratos for Amazon’s upcoming God of War TV series. The actor will lead the live‑action adaptation following the recasting of the role earlier this year.

According to Variety, Bautista has now signed on to replace Ryan Hurst, who was originally announced as Kratos in January but suffered a torn bicep that would have delayed production into 2027. Amazon and Sony opted to recast the part, and with Bautista now locked in, filming is expected to resume in the coming weeks. All previously shot scenes featuring Hurst will be reshot.

Image: Ryan Hurst in full make-up for God of War. Hurst is now being replaced by Dave Bautista (Drax, Guardians of the Galaxy)

Prime Video has already ordered two seasons of God of War, with both planned to film back‑to‑back. Production began in Vancouver earlier this year before being paused due to the casting change. Bautista’s physical readiness is cited as a major factor in the quick turnaround, as he is one of the few actors capable of stepping into the role on short notice without requiring months of preparation.

The series will adapt the story of the two most recent games, following Kratos and his ten‑year‑old son, Atreus, as they journey to fulfil Faye’s final wish while confronting gods of the Norse pantheon. Callum Vinson remains attached as Atreus, with additional cast members including Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Danny Woodburn and Jeff Gulka as Brok and Sindri, and Ed Skrein as Baldur.

KitGuru Says: Bautista has long been considered a strong fit for Kratos, and now it’s official. With production set to resume soon, we should start seeing more updates on Amazon’s God of War series in the months ahead.

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For a while, it looked like the God of War cast was set in stone, but producers of the TV adaptation quickly decided to move on from their original Kratos actor after an injury. Now, it would appear that Dave Bautista could be stepping into the role. 

Bautista is best known for his role as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, as well as a few other Marvel films. Bautista has also heavily campaigned himself for a role in a future Gears of War adaptation. With Netflix's Gears of War adaptation seemingly on pause for now, Bautista may transition his efforts to another GoW series.

According to Variety, Amazon and Sony already have plans to put Dave Bautista into the main Kratos role after moving on from the previous actor. Amazon also wants to quickly begin production on the series once again, which had previously been on pause until at least 2027.

Bautista would certainly fit the role of Kratos, although nothing has been officially announced just yet.

KitGuru Says: Do you think Bautista will do well as Kratos, or would you prefer a different actor? 

The post Amazon reportedly casting Dave Bautista as Kratos for God of War series first appeared on KitGuru.

There has been a great deal of discourse surrounding the recently-announced God of War Laufey, with one of the most vocal issues being the fact that the spin-off / side-quel will not be starring the ‘god of war’ Kratos himself. To no one’s surprise however, it has now been officially confirmed that Kratos will return in a future title coming some time after the release of Laufey.

As reported by IGN, Santa Monica Studio’s head of creative Cory Barlog (who also served as Game Director for 2018’s God of War and Creative Director for Ragnarok) confirmed during a recent Comic Con panel that a Kratos-led God of War game is in the works.

While details have of course been kept light, Barlog revealed that this new entry will connect directly to the upcoming Laufey.

For the uninitiated, God of War Laufey is set concurrently with the events of 2018’s game – or at least it starts at the same point. Where the story of Laufey will go and where it will end up taking Faye, we will have to wait and find out.

Given that Kratos has already been confirmed to feature in Laufey to some degree however, things should become clearer once the game launches in February of next year.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of God of War Laufey? Are you looking forward to playing as Faye? How do you think it’ll tie into Kratos’ journey following Ragnarok / Valhalla? Let us know down below.

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February 2027 is shaping up to be an incredibly busy month for game releases. Not only will we see titles like Fable, Persona 4 Revival and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, but now Sony has also confirmed that the next God of War game will also launch that month.

As announced during a panel at San Diego Comic Con, God of War: Laufey will launch on February 16th 2027, and unlike some of Sony’s future projects, this game will still ship on disc. Physical PlayStation releases will continue until January 2028, meaning Laufey arrives long before Sony transitions away from producing physical copies.

God of War: Laufey is not a direct sequel to God of War Ragnarök. Instead, it takes place before those events, following Kratos’ wife, Faye, who awakens unexpectedly in a strange land after her death. As described on the PlayStation Store: “Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning.” To protect Kratos and Atreus, she must fight through the Everywhen, an afterlife where gods from across mythology battle for power. Players will harness Faye’s speed and precision to overcome dangerous foes and navigate a world overflowing with magic.

February 2027 is shaping up to be a packed month for major releases. Alongside God of War: Laufey, players can expect Fable, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Metro 2039, Persona 4 Revival and more, all launching within days to weeks of each other.

KitGuru Says: With February being so busy, I'll likely be skipping this until later in the year. Are you planning on picking up the new God of War at launch? Or will you be picking up one of the other major titles coming out that month?

The post God of War Laufey joins packed February 2027 release schedule first appeared on KitGuru.

The God of War Laufey SDCC (San Diego Comic-Con) panel has delivered two big announcements: the game's release date and that another game featuring Kratos as the protagonist is in development. God of War Laufey was previously rumored to launch in the first half of 2027, more specifically between February and March. Well, there won't be much to wait for fans, as the game is now officially slated to debut on February 16, 2027, exclusively on PlayStation 5. As for the next Kratos game, Santa Monica Studio had already suggested there would be more stories featuring the titular God of […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-laufey-february-2027-kratos-sequel-cory-barlog/

Last week, we reported on the unfortunate news that production on Amazon’s live-action God of War show was being halted following an on-set injury by Kratos actor Ryan Hurst. While it was claimed at the time that this injury would require surgery, things seem to be a bit more serious than it initially appeared, with the role of Kratos now being entirely recast.

Initially reported by TMZ last week, the publication revealed that Kratos actor Ryan Hurst “tore his bicep while filming a stunt … and the injury requires surgery,” claiming at the time that production was being halted while he recovered.

Unfortunately, the situation has since evolved, with the publication Deadline now confirming that the role of Kratos is being recast. According to the report, Hurst’s injuries would require a minimum of 4-6 months of rest, with up to a year of waiting for a full recovery.

Given this, Sony / Amazon reportedly decided that “while Hurst’s full recovery is a priority, the period required for it was longer than the production shooting schedule could accommodate, leading to the difficult decision to recast the role.”

While the first image released of Hurst as Kratos left plenty to be desired in the eyes of many, the actor had been putting in the work for this role, reportedly gaining 40 pounds of muscle across multiple months of training.

Additionally, Hurst was already familiar with the source material, having voiced Thor in 2021’s God of War Ragnarok.
While we have yet to learn who will be replacing Hurst for the role of Kratos, production is said to be picking back up as soon as this October, and so we will likely hear more in the coming months.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What did you think of Hurst’s casting? Who else do you think could play the role of Kratos? Let us know down below.

The post Live-Action God of War to recast Kratos following on set injury first appeared on KitGuru.

Since as far back as 2022, we had been hearing rumours that Sony was in talks with Amazon to produce a live-action adaptation of PlayStation’s flagship God of War series. After a number of delays, filming for the project finally began earlier this year. Unfortunately, unlike Kratos himself, actor Ryan Hurst is not actually a god of war – and so production has now had to be halted following an on-set injury.

As reported by the publication TMZ, filming for the live-action God of War series has been paused temporarily due to the show’s star ‘Ryan Hurst’ receiving an injury on set.

As of now, details remain light, but according to TMZ, Hurst “tore his bicep while filming a stunt … and the injury requires surgery.”

While the nature of the scene being filmed was not shared, the God of War games have Kratos doing all sorts of intense action scenes on a moment-to-moment basis. Even during something basic like general combat, swinging the Leviathan axe as Kratos could lead to potential injuries.

Either way, here’s to hoping that the surgery isn’t too serious and that Hurst is back to feeling 100% sooner rather than later.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Are you excited for the live-action God of War? What do you think of Hurst’s casting? Let us know down below.

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While some rumours claimed that God of War Laufey could release later this year, Sony Santa Monica has now made its release window clear. The game will not be coming out until next year. 

Sony Santa Monica wanted to assure fans that despite Sony announcing plans to shut down physical game disc production, God of War Laufey will be available on disc. This means that the game will be releasing in 2027, as if it releases after January 2028, Sony will no longer have a factory in place for making physical game copies.

Studios under Sony will also be able reprint discs for games released before January 2028, but any game released after that date will not have the option for a physical copy at all.

Sony has been absolutely hammered by fans on social media protesting the decision to end physical disc production. Every tweet from a Sony-affiliated company has been met with fierce backlash and a flurry of negative comments. They couldn't even post the latest trailer for the new Spider-Man film without drawing criticism over the decision.

While Sony has faced intense backlash, there is no reason to believe that Sony will reverse course. In fact, the factory Sony partnered with to make its game discs is already transforming to create entirely different products, with financial backing from Sony to acquire the new equipment.

KitGuru Says: I have nothing against digital games. As a PC gamer, I've been playing digitally for a very long time. The difference is the openness of the platform. On a PC, you are still in control of the files, you can back them up, store them, burn them to your own discs and maintain access endlessly. On a console, Sony can decide to just turn the tap off, shut down the digital storefront and remove your ability to download your past purchases – which is exactly what they are currently doing to the PS3 and PS Vita. 

The post God of War studio confirms new game will be available on disc first appeared on KitGuru.

Over the past many months we’ve seen tons of different video game developers / publishers either shying away from announcing their game’s release dates, or in some cases delaying the titles from their initial launch in order to get out of the way of gaming juggernaut GTA VI. According to trusted insiders, one such title is the recently-announced God of War Laufey, with claims being made that the title will likely arrive sometime in February or March 2027.

In recent weeks, notable and trusted industry insider Jason Schreier has been taking to YouTube to share his thoughts on various industry happenings. Having close ties to many studios / developers across the market, Schreier’s statements come with a great deal more weight than your average analyst.

During a video discussing ‘Why Grand Theft Auto VI is scaring off other games’ Schreier spoke briefly on the recently-announced God of War Laufey, stating: “If you're a God of War Laufey, for example, you might look at the landscape and you might say, ‘Hey, I feel like this this is going to be our big tentpole release, it's going to be a really good game. It's going to be well reviewed. It's got a lot of really interesting things going for it. We should be able to get a bunch of media attention.’ And that's not going to happen if you release anywhere near GTA 6.”

In terms of when Laufey might be expected to release instead, Schreier continued, “some of those games will inevitably slip and what's going to happen is that February and March will be super crowded. We're going to see a lot of games that, I mean I mentioned God of War Laufey. I wouldn't be surprised if that gets announced for February or March pretty soon.”

Of course, this is just an educated guess from Schreier, and so it shouldn’t be taken as official confirmation. That said, Sony has been embracing the earlier months of each year – particularly during this current generation – with some of its biggest titles launching during Q1 (Helldivers 2; Horizon Forbidden West; Returnal; Gran Turismo 7 etc…).

So, when will God of War Laufey officially come out? We will have to wait and see, but it wouldn’t be surprising for Sony to give us a release date after GTA VI is actually out and no longer serving as a spectre across the industry.

KitGuru says: How excited are you for GTA VI? When do you think Laufey will be released? Do you reckon it was originally planned for 2026? Let us know down below.

The post Insider claims God of War Laufey will likely release in Feb/March next year first appeared on KitGuru.

Ever since Cory Barlog successfully revived the God of War series back in 2018, there had been various leaks and rumours surrounding what the creator was working on next. Finally, during Sony’s recent State of Play Showcase, the spin-off / side-quel God of War Laufey was officially announced – following the journey of Faye in the wake of her death. Despite coming years on from GoW 2018’s sequel ‘Ragnarok’ Laufey was apparently always part of the plan, with the project being first pitched almost a decade ago.

Taking part in an interview with the publication CGMagazine, Deborah Ann Woll (who plays Faye in the God of War soft-reboot) sat down to discuss her various roles throughout the years.

In looking towards the future however, Woll was asked about the recent official unveiling of God of War Laufey. Speaking on how it felt for the project to be finally announced, Woll claimed: “Oh my God, I can't tell you. I still pinch myself. You know, again, I've known about this for nearly ten years, and I haven't been able to talk about it.”

When asked for clarification of this statement, Woll revealed that GoW creative director Cory Barlog “pitched it to me in 2018, and they had known about it before then. It's wild. Like when Cory brought me in to talk about doing Ragnarök and show me the 2018 game, he already had a poster for the Laufey game with me and a cube. A cube that's been there since the beginning. It's deeply a part of the lore.”

As mentioned, God of War Laufey is a side-quel of sorts, taking place concurrently with the timeline of 2018’s GOTY-winning narrative. Following Faye in the wake of her death (an event which kicks off the entire plot of the 2018 title), Laufey does look set to be a major addition to the lore and world-building of the franchise.

Even so, it is surprising to learn that this project has been in the works to some degree for pretty much a decade. Hopefully this means that Laufey will not only tie into the previous two entries in a seamless manner, but can actually help to round out what was already an excellent duology.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this revelation? Does it make you reassess the past two games in any way? Could it be the best God of War game yet? Let us know your thoughts down below.

The post God of War Laufey has been in ‘development’ for nearly a decade first appeared on KitGuru.

The long-rumored God of War Faye, now known as God of War Laufey, was easily the standout game not only of Sony's State of Play but also of the whole Summer Game Fest when it comes to overall impact. Marketing firm LevelUp ranked its performance across trailers, press coverage, and community engagement, finding that it far outpaced any other game shown throughout the week. The announcement did not include any precise launch window, which worried fans. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier chimed in to say that the game isn't "years away", though he wouldn't be more specific than that. Now, renowned insider […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-laufey-first-half-2027-release-window/

God of War Laufey's reveal at the recent June 2026 State of Play certainly pleased many franchise fans, but that's not to say there weren't criticisms to be found online. For example, some wrinkled their noses at Phranque, a talking cosmic jelly cube companion played by actor Jack Quaid, largely known for his role of Hughie in the TV series The Boys (but also already present in God of War: Sons of Sparta as Eis). Phranque, like the sword's talking ribbon, Rue, was criticized for looking whimsical and therefore not grounded enough for some tastes. The topic was tangentially touched […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-laufey-phranque-cosmic-cube/

At Summer Game Fest 2026, newly established publishing label Paramount Games Studio unveiled TMNT: The Last Ronin, a project in development at PlatinumGames (NieR: Automata, Bayonetta 3, Ninja Gaiden 4). As some of you may recall, we already got such an announcement in March 2023, but back then, the project was in development at Black Forest Games (Giana Sisters, Destroy All Humans!). Its development was stopped before the merger of Skydance and Paramount, and later, it was reassigned to the Japanese studio. The gameplay will undoubtedly be very different, but one thing seems to have stayed the same: the mature, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/tmnt-the-last-ronin-platinumgames-god-of-war-storytelling/

Sony Interactive Entertainment and Santa Monica Studio have officially revealed God of War Laufey, the next major entry in the popular God of War series. The upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive puts the spotlight on Laufey, also known as Faye, the legendary warrior and wife of Kratos. While a release date has not yet been announced, the reveal has already created strong excitement among fans.

Unlike previous games in the series, God of War Laufey places Faye at the centre of the story. After her death, she unexpectedly awakens in a mysterious realm known as the Everywhen. What should have been the end of her journey becomes the beginning of a brand-new adventure.

Faye soon learns that the plans she carefully created to protect Kratos and Atreus are now in danger. To save her family, she must travel through the afterlife of the gods and face powerful enemies from different mythologies. The Everywhen is described as a magical place where gods, creatures, and ancient powers from many worlds come together.

Santa Monica Studio says the game keeps the core elements that fans love about God of War. Players can expect intense combat, deep storytelling, and large areas to explore. The developers have designed Faye’s gameplay to feel fast, smooth, and powerful while still staying true to the series.

According to God of War Laufey Game Director Ariel Lawrence, Faye’s combat style combines the speed and movement seen in the older Greek-era games with the close and personal combat of the Norse saga. Players will be able to move quickly between ground and air attacks, creating fluid and aggressive combat encounters.

One of the biggest additions is Faye’s unique soul-based abilities. As the Golden Hand of the Jotnar, she can separate an enemy’s soul from its body and use that power to create devastating attacks and creative combat combinations. These abilities become even stronger inside the Everywhen, a realm filled with ancient magic.

Faye will also wield a powerful legendary sword during her journey. The weapon focuses on speed, precision, and continuous attacks, allowing players to build momentum and keep pressure on enemies throughout battles.

The story will introduce several new characters. Deborah Ann Woll returns as Faye, while Jack Quaid voices Phranque, a friendly cosmic cube who joins her adventure. Perlina Lau plays Rue, a magical guardian responsible for protecting a powerful sword.

The game will also explore a major mystery that has existed since God of War Ragnarok. Players will finally learn what happens to gods after they die. During her journey, Faye will encounter powerful figures such as Sekhmet and Begtse while uncovering the secrets hidden within the Everywhen.

Although Sony has not shared a launch date, God of War Laufey looks set to deliver a fresh chapter for the franchise. With Faye leading the story, a mysterious setting, and fast-paced combat, the game could become one of the most anticipated PlayStation 5 releases in the coming years.

For years, we have been hearing that Sony Santa Monica were working on a mysterious project, seemingly tied to the God of War franchise while also being its own thing. Finally, we have gotten confirmation on what this project is, with PlayStation officially announcing God of War Laufey – a spin-off starring Kratos’ wife Faye following her death during the opening of 2018’s God of War.

Officially announced during PlayStation’s State of Play as part of a 20-minute long gameplay demonstration, God of War Laufey follows Faye in the immediacy following her funeral at the start of 2018’s GOW entry.

“Awakening unexpectedly in a strange land after her funeral” this new protagonist must fight her way “through the afterlife of the gods – the Everywhen – where ruthless gods from across mythology vie for power in a land overflowing with dangerous magic.”

Based on the gameplay shared, Laufy features a similar-yet-different approach to combat, with Faye being equally as fast as she is strong. Wielding a mysterious sword and her magic abilities, Laufey is said to combine “the movement and fluidity of the Greek era with the Norse era’s approach to world-building and close ties with characters.”

Those who played through God of War Ragnarok may recognise that Sony Santa Monica were already messing around with different combat styles in their last game, and so this successor feels like a natural evolution in this regard.

Perhaps the biggest surprise came with the reveal that Faye will not be going on this journey alone. Similar to the prior two entries, Laufey will include a couple permanent companions: The cosmic cube ‘Phranque’ (played by Jack Quaid of The Boys fame) and an enchanted ribbon ‘Rue’ (played by Perlina Lau).

Despite being set in the God of War universe, Laufey does in many ways feel like its own sub-series, and so it will be interesting to see where the story goes, and how it ties into the events of 2018’s God of War and Ragnarok. Additional details, including interviews with the cast, director and more can be found HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What did you think of the State of Play? Are you excited for God of War Laufey? Could this be the start of a whole new franchise? Let us know down below.

The post God of War side-quel ‘Laufey’ officially announced, set during the events of GOW (2018) first appeared on KitGuru.

For a very long time, it has been rumored that Cory Barlog, director of God of War II and the 2018 entry in the series, was working on a new IP, leaving other members of the team to work on games such as God of War Ragnarok. Eventually, it was discovered this new IP was still set in the series' universe, but would feature a new main character, Kratos' wife and Atreus' mother, Faye, and more action-oriented gameplay reminiscent not only of games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but of the franchise's roots. After months of rumors and speculation, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-laufey-is-the-next-entry-in-the-series-following-kratos-wife-into-the-afterlife-of-the-gods/

For years now, fans have been wondering what Sony Santa Monica’s Cory Barlog has been working on, with previous leaks and rumours suggesting that it would be a new IP in a Sci-Fi setting. Recent reports from industry insiders however have since shed some light on the matter, claiming the mystery project to be a God of War spin-off with Kratos’ wife Faye as the lead. Following this, we’ve now gotten additional details, including suggestions that the game will tackle multiple mythologies.

Following leaks back in March which claimed that Sony Santa Monica’s next project is a God of War spin-off focused on Kratos’ late wife Faye which would “differ from the Norse God of War games with more of a focus on action,” we’ve now gotten some additional details pertaining to this rumoured 2027 title.

According to a new report from the publication mp1st, this upcoming spin-off will deviate from the past two title’s Norse-based mythologies, ‘confirming’ that “elements from Chinese and Japanese mythologies will be part of a new entry in the series.”

Of course, while the OG God of War games tackled Greek Mythology and the recent duology took Kratos to Midgard (and the Norse realms as a whole), Sony Santa Monica have teased the existence of other mythologies in-game and so such a shift would not be surprising.

Regardless, we should hopefully learn about this mysterious project sooner rather than later, with insider Tom Henderson recently claiming that an official announcement could be arriving as soon as this month. We will have to wait and see.

KitGuru says: Are you looking forward to this potential spin-off? How different would you like it to be compared to the Norse era games? Let us know down below.

The post Rumoured God of War spin-off gets new leaked details first appeared on KitGuru.

For years now, fans have been wondering what Sony Santa Monica’s Cory Barlog has been working on, with previous leaks and rumours suggesting that it would be a new IP in a Sci-Fi setting. As we get closer to the project’s supposed reveal, insiders have claimed that Barlog’s upcoming game is in fact still set in the God of War universe – but will instead focus on Faye as the main character.

As reported by multiple insiders, the next project set to be announced by Sony Santa Monica will in fact be another God of War game; albeit not starring Kratos.

According to Wccftech and NatetheHate, this new project will serve as its own franchise, though will not include Kratos nor Atreus as the lead. Instead, this new franchise will follow Faye – Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother – presumably prior to her death.

Narrative-wise, very little has been shared, with Faye herself being a pretty mysterious character throughout the events of God of War Ragnarok. With regards to gameplay however, the insiders have suggested that it would “differ from the Norse God of War games with more of a focus on action.”

While much of the project remains a mystery, we hopefully won’t have to wait long to learn about the game officially, with the current plan reportedly being a reveal this year, followed by its launch in the first half of 2027.

While many were hoping to see Sony Santa Monica take a step away from God of War (at least temporarily), Faye as a character presents the team with tons of opportunities to take the series to new and unexpected places.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: What do you think of these leaked details? Does the project excite you? Would you have preferred the game to focus on a different GOW character? Let us know down below.

The post Sony Santa Monica’s next game will reportedly feature Kratos’ wife as the main character first appeared on KitGuru.

It looks like the secret is finally out of the bag: Cory Barlog's "new" IP, previously rumored to be sci-fi-themed, is actually an expansion of the existing God of War universe with a new franchise. The confirmation came from a LinkedIn profile (spotted on the ResetEra board) of a Senior Writer who worked remotely at Sony Santa Monica between August 2020 and September 2025, writing on their resume: Helped shape narrative vision and creative direction at Sony Santa Monica Studio for a new franchise within the God of War universe, developing characters, storylines, and original lore that expanded the acclaimed […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-universe-expand-new-franchise-cory-barlog-ip/