Dave Bautista felt “relief” saying goodbye to the MCU

Playing a character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a big commitment, with some actors sticking with their roles for over a decade, a big chunk of their acting career. Sure, it can be immensely rewarding being part of some of the highest-grossing movies ever, but it comes with a hectic schedule that may prevent actors from exploring other roles.

For his part, Dave Bautista said he feels “relief” knowing that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be his final outing as Drax the Destroyer. Bautista began his MCU journey almost 10 years ago when the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie released. Since then, he’s gone on to appear in six more movies, including the box office-smashing Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. It’s been a good run.

Speaking to GQ Magazine, the former WWE star said that he doesn’t want playing Drax to be his legacy. He wants to pursue more serious roles…and also getting into Drax’s makeup is a pain.

"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."

Dave Bautista wants to move on from delivering “silly” performances like Drax

While playing Drax, Bautista has still appeared in other stuff. He acted in Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, both movies directed by Denis Villeneuve. He’ll also be in Dune: Part II, which comes out later this year. “If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for fucking free,” Bautista said. “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.”

In 2021 he also played the protagonist in Zack Snyder’s zombie heist movie Army of the Dead, and recently appeared in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. This year we’ll see him in M. Night Shyamalan‘s Knock at the Cabin and finally there’s his curtain call as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, which opens on May 5.

“I don’t care about the spotlight, I don’t care about fame,” Bautista said. “I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don’t need accolades — I really don’t, man. It’s about the experience, about knowing that I accomplished something.”

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