Source: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty / Dave Bautista
Say it isn’t so. You can now add Dave Bautista to the list of OGs leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Speaking with GQ, former WWE superstar turned actor Dave Bautista revealed to the publication that after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, he would no longer be playing Drax.
Bautista’s acting career took off because of his portrayal as the vengeance-seeking but often at times silly alien brute in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films that introduced fans to the rag-tag team of heroes.
The actor revealed to the publication he wants to further get dive into his acting bag by taking on more serious dramatic roles, and if you’re wondering, yes, he is fully capable of doing so.
Bautista has shown off his dramatic acting chops in films like Blade Runner 2049, Dune, Glass Onion, and the upcoming M. Night Shyamalan thriller, Knock At The Cabin.
Drax has been a fixture in seven Marvel projects for nearly a decade and is now Bautista is ready to move on from the character, which he is “so grateful for Drax” at the same time reveals “there’s a relief [that it’s over].”
“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.” told GQ.
Speaking on his upcoming role in Knock At The Cabin, he added:
“It’s by far the most I’ve ever spoken in a film. Just huge pages of monologues. We were shooting on film, which is very expensive. And we were shooting with one camera, so you don’t have the luxury of edits. It’s your only opportunity — you need a perfect take. It’s a lot of pressure. I want to remember my dialogue, but not at the expense of losing the emotion of the scene.”
Bautista will join Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. who have been in the MCU since the beginning to leave. But who knows, they all could be back one last time in Avengers: Secret Wars.
—
Photo: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty
