The Marvel Cinematic Universe may offer a smorgasbord of different adventures covering the grand calculus of the multiverse, but the franchise has an established formula that it rarely ever deviates from, and part of that is the never-ending barrage of quips and one-liners. Dave Bautista has clearly had enough, after revealing it’s one of the major reasons he’s abandoning ship.
May’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 won’t just mark the end of the road for the current lineup of the team, but also Bautista’s tenure as part of the sprawling ensemble, as well as writer and director James Gunn’s swansong before he dedicates all of his energies to DC Studios. Several of the cast members are sure to stick around, but the former WWE star won’t be one of them.
Widely regarded as the finest wrestler-turned-actor in the business given his underrated dramatic chops, range, and willingness to challenge himself, Bautista admitted in an interview with GQ that he doesn’t want the deadpan comedic stylings of Drax to define either him or his career, which is fair enough.
“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.”
The Blade Runner 2049 and Dune alum has been vocal in stating his irritation with how Drax’s potentially-powerful character arc was quickly abandoned in favor of having him become little more than a walking punchline, but we’ve got the sneaking suspicion that Bautista won’t be struggling to find work in the aftermath given his undoubted talent and versatility.