Expect to see a bulkier, more muscular version of Dave Bautista in the upcoming God of War series, after packing on 9kg to play Spartan warrior Kratos.
The 57-year-old replaces Ryan Hurst as Kratos, who tore his bicep while filming a stunt for the series in August. His withdrawal forced Amazon to cast Bautista in his place, with the wrestler-turned-actor sharing back in September that he had been weight training again for three weeks and had two months to ‘get where he needs to be’.
In the time since, his approach has certainly worked, with Bautista sharing an update on his body transformation on Instagram.
‘Gained 20lbs for GOW,’ he wrote, alongside a ‘250’ title highlighting his current weight in pounds following a pumped-up gym session.
Part of that process has been spent training with coach Joe Bennett, who has focused on pure hypertrophy and growing individual muscle groups to their maximum. A strict curl variation designed to add biceps size highlights just how much isolation work is going into his sessions as he builds up for the role, while maintaining his ripped physique.
How Dave Bautista Has Changed His Training
It’s an impressive transformation for Bautista, who in recent years has spent less and less time in the gym. He required more specific physical preparation, including stunt work and weapons training, from the end of 2025 until midway through 2026, when he worked on both Highlander and Road House 2.
And in 2024, he managed to drop from 143kg to 109kg as part of a concerted effort to lose overall mass in favour of landing more diverse acting roles.
‘I think a lot of people think I’m just a meathead and that I live my life lifting weights. And I actually don’t. I do live my life training, but I think people think that I train because I want to look like a bodybuilder or a big muscle head. And it’s not at all the case,’ he told MH.
‘I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable,’ he said, as he achieved his leanest self in his adult life.
To do so, he stopped weight training and instead did a lot more cardio and jiu-jitsu, alongside taking a more controlled approach to his diet. It worked, helping him feel better.
‘Now that I’m older – fucking old – this has done a lot for me,’ Bautista subsequently said of his training. ‘I feel better now than I have in years because my training is so good. My cardio is awesome.’
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