Dave Bautista is desperate for another Marvel or DC superhero role. The actor’s interest comes at a time when superhero films continue to dominate the global box office, with comic book adaptations generating over $30 billion worldwide since 2008.
The 56-year-old actor played Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) franchise ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and has put titans of the genre on notice that he is willing to be in another blockbuster. His portrayal of Drax spanned multiple films, including three Guardians movies and two Avengers installments.
“Drax is completely closed to me. Unless James Gunn called me and asked me if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested,” Dave told ComicBook.com.
“If James called me, which obviously is not gonna happen. He’s doing okay, he’s gone a different route (with DC).” Gunn is currently serving as co-CEO of DC Studios, overseeing the development of a new interconnected universe of films and TV shows.
However, the former wrestler hasn’t given up hope of a return to superhero blockbusters and has informed both Gunn and Marvel filmmakers the Russo Brothers of his wishes. The Russo Brothers previously directed Bautista in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” which collectively earned over $4.8 billion worldwide.
“But I do wanna be in that world. I’m a fan of that world. I’m a fan of comic books and that whole universe. Marvel, DC, I just wanna be in it. I made that known to James, I made that known to the Russo Brothers,” Bautista said.
“Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, ‘Don’t count me out. If there’s a character that I’d be right for and that you want me for, man, I’d be totally open-minded to it’. It’s just the Drax character ran its course.”
Dave suggested last year that he would be interested in playing a villain in a comic book flick. His diverse acting portfolio has expanded significantly since his WWE days, with critically acclaimed performances in films like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Glass Onion.”
“I just would like the opportunity to do a bigger role, a different role,” the ‘Knock at the Cabin’ star told Gizmodo. “Maybe a deeper role. I’d love to have the opportunity to play, like, an ominous villain in the superhero universe… I’m not done with it. But my journey with Drax is over.”
Bautista previously revealed that he felt a sense of “relief” that he would no longer have to play Drax as he felt he gave a “silly” performance as the hero. The makeup process for Drax reportedly took up to four hours daily during filming.
Speaking to GQ magazine in 2023, the ex-WWE star said: “It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy – it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
The ‘Dune: Part Two’ actor has also bemoaned how Drax was utilized in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ franchise and accused Marvel of “dropping the ball” in the way they handled the character. The original Drax character in Marvel Comics had a more complex backstory involving his family’s tragic death at the hands of Thanos.
“I really wished they would have invested more in Drax, personally,” Bautista told Collider. “Because I think Drax has more of a story to tell. I think Drax has a really interesting backstory, which they dropped the ball on. That’s no dig on Marvel. They had their slate, I know what they’re focused on, that’s what they have [it] slated out. But man, I think they really missed the ball on Drax. He has such a great backstory.”
Bautista’s career transition from professional wrestling to acting mirrors that of other WWE stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and John Cena, who have successfully established themselves in Hollywood. His openness to new superhero roles comes as both Marvel and DC continue to expand their cinematic universes with new characters and storylines.
