Professional wrestler turned actor Dave Bautista is relieved to leave the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which featured his final performance as Drax the Destroyer, a career that spanned nearly 10 years. Bautista recently told GQ magazine, “I appreciate Drax. I love him. But there was relief [that it was over]. Everything is not good. It is difficult to do this work. The makeup routine was beating me up. And I don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy – it’s a crazy performance, I want to do something more dramatic,” he continued.
Bautista said his next 2023 film project is a step in the right direction when it comes to shaping a post-Marvel acting career, Variety reported.
He is set to have a major speaking role in M Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin and an expanded role in Denis Villeneuve’s sequel Dune. Dune: The Second Part will mark Villeneuve’s third Bautista film following Blade Runner 2049 and Dune.
“I wish they had invested more in Drax, himself. Because I think Drax has a lot of stories to tell. I think Drax has a very interesting history, which they dropped the ball on. It’s not a dig at Marvel,” he said. According to Variety, he added that if Marvel explored the character more closely, it “would have allowed me to show a different side of Drax, emotionally. And physically as well.”
