Dave Bautista Relieved at Bidding Farewell to Drax: ‘I Want to Do More Dramatic Stuff’

“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy” the actor said his “Guardian’s of the Galaxy” character

Dave Bautista attends the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards
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WWE wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista expressed relief at hanging up his mantle as alien Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe “Guardian’s of the Galaxy” franchise.

“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him,” he told GQ. “But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role.”

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” the third and final film of the franchise that arrives in May 2023, introduces Will Poulter’s Aram Warlock alongside the familiar ensemble of Chriss Pratt’s Star-Lord, Zoe Saldaña’s Gamora, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Vin Diesel’s Groot, Bradley Cooper’s Rocket and Bautista’s Drax.

“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,” he continued. 

The actor, who most recently appeared as Duke Cody in Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (2022), laid out future dramatic pursuits, like his upcoming starring role in M. Night Shyalaman’s “A Knock at the Cabin” releasing Feb. 3.

“It’s by far the most I’ve ever spoken in a film,” he said. “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.” 

His return as Globbu Rabban in “Dune: Part Two” marks another goal of his career — to continue working with Denis Villeneuve, who directed him in “Blade Runner 2049” as well as the first “Dune” film.

If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for f—ing free,” he says. “I think that’s how I could find out how good I could be. He brings out the best in me. He sees me in a different light, sees the performer that I want to be. That might be how I solve the puzzle.”

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