2023 is going to be a big year for Dave Bautista. In February, he’ll be starring in M. Night Shyamalan’s A Knock at the Cabin. Then in May, he’ll be reprising his role as the intergalactic criminal Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. And later this year even more people will see him in an expanded role as Glossu Rabban in Dune: Part Two. The former WWE wrestler has made his mark on Hollywood and has starred in the most successful movie ever made. But Dave Bautista doesn’t want to be the next The Rock.
Bautista is looking to move on from his action roles and into the realm of a more serious acting career. He could easily keep reprising his roles as “the big guy” the hero needs to fight, like Sapper Morton in Blade Runner 2049. But Bautista has made it clear that he’s out to be Hollywood’s next dramatic leading man. He’s looking for a shift in his career, away from these “silly” action roles, and towards characters that have more gravitas on the screen. Dave Bautista is a passionate actor dying to shed the cocoon of shallow roles and become an actor worthy of the Academy’s attention.
Where Is Dave Bautista’s Career Headed?
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Bautista had a complicated start to his acting career. Most remember him from his headlining role in WWE Smackdown, but in order to start acting in movies, he had to leave wrestling behind. Though he was at the same level in the WWE hierarchy as people like John Cena, Cena was getting the chance to explore a career in Hollywood while Bautista wasn’t. And so, instead of playing it safe and staying a wrestler, Bautista left his big role and took a chance on himself in L.A.
He had a rocky start but got breaks in movies like The Man with the Iron Fists and Riddick. Eventually, he landed the role of Drax in 2014, and all of a sudden, everyone in Hollywood knew who he was. Now, eight years later, he’s determined to continue growing. In an interview with GQ, he spoke of the love he had for his new career.
Drax may have been the perfect role for Bautista to learn how to act on that level. He has the perfect body type, sense of humor, and Drax is famous for being overly literal, something that might have aided a burgeoning talent new to the big screen. But Drax and Marvel have run their course.
“I’m obsessed with it. It’s this puzzle that I can’t figure out. You don’t know if it’s right, but sometimes it feels right. I don’t get those moments a lot, but every once in a while I do. And fuck, to me, there’s nothing like it. It’s a natural high. It’s an addiction.”
Bautista is ready to take that next step in his career, and now he has the resumé needed to do it. His performances will become less comedic and more focused on their depth of character. He had a rare opportunity with Knock at the Cabin where he was given large monologues in a deathly serious role to play. It’s his chance to prove he can be something more than just a meathead in green skin. He’s moving up in the world and people are taking notice. After 2023, fans can expect to see a lot more from Dave Bautista.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. But 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.”
What Bautista Wants to Make of Himself
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Bautista is certainly a man of great talent, and the fact that it has slowly been refined over years makes him even more of a hot commodity in Hollywood. And it’s not like he is performing in a vacuum. While fans see his performances in theaters and on Netflix, his directors take note of Bautista’s growing skill firsthand. M. Night Shyamalan is confident in Bautista’s abilities.
“I keep telling all my filmmaker friends, that someone is going to give Dave a real dramatic lead role in a movie, and they’re going to look like a genius.”
And Bautista has seen the growth in himself as well. He has a strong desire to continue his work with Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Blade Runner 2049). He’s said that Villeneuve can draw something special out of him. Bautista believes the director can communicate with him like others can’t. It’s an important relationship to find as an actor, and this is the kind of thing Bautista should be looking for if he wants to explore this side of himself.
Bautista has certainly begun to put himself out there more. He’s used his star power to push harder for roles he enjoys playing. When rumors surfaced of a live-action Gears of War adaptation from Netflix, Bautista posted pictures of himself in costume asking the world to cast him, as if he could “make it any easier.” With a strong fan base and a name that’s only going to get bigger, we can’t wait to see what Bautista will do with this next phase in his career.
