Inside Dave Bautista’s diet as he packs on 20lbs in two months for God of War film

When Dave Bautista stepped up to replace an injured Ryan Hurst in Prime Video’s God of War series, he was tasked with bulking out his physique once again.

The Marvel alum, 57, shared back in September that he’d already been weight training for more than two months to ‘get where he needs to be’, revealing via Instagram that he’d successfully gained 20lbs to play Kratos

According to Men’s Health, Bautista has worked with coach Joe Bennett to achieve the feat, focusing on pure hypertrophy and growing individual muscle groups to their maximum.

The announcement comes just two years after the four-time WWE heavyweight champion admitted he’d dropped from 143kg to 109kg, 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,” he informed the magazine.

(Karwai Tang/WireImage)

“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.

“I’ve sacrificed a lot of muscle. But I’m okay with it, because I just feel more comfortable.”

After completing work on Highlander with Drew McIntyre and Henry Cavel, and Road House 2, starring Jake Gyllenhaaland UFC fighter Stephen Thompson, Bautista was called up to star in God of War, based on the popular PlayStation series.

While Bautista hasn’t detailed exactly what he is eating for the role, he has been prone to follow an extreme calorie routine when it comes to bulking.

His go-to favourites? Pancakes and French fries.

He also told Men’s Health that he follows a plant-based diet, occasionally eating fish, and that he tries to scarf down some food every four hours.

(Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

In the 2021 interview, he said: “When I'm on set I still—I have my meal prep, so I eat. In between those meals if I get hungry, I typically do an almond butter and banana, or a vegan, gluten-free grilled cheese is my favourite go-to.”

Despite cutting out poultry in early 2021, the Filipino-American said he missed eating chicken adobo, the national dish of the Philippines.

“It’s one of the few dishes that I make constantly. I make it for myself, I make it for my friends. And now I still make it for my friends, but I have to just sit there and watch them eat it, and it’s torture,” the father of three confessed.

He also doesn’t eat dairy, realising in 2005 that it actually worsened his asthma.

Prime Video has yet to announce an official release date for its live-action God of War series. Deadline estimates that it may premiere around mid-to-late 2028.