Dave Bautista Is Relieved to Exit Marvel, Admitting That Playing "Silly" Drax "Wasn't All Pleasant"

Dave Bautista is ready to move on from Drax the Destroyer and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a recent interview with GQ, the action star who has long been most recognized for his role as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, wants to reach into his more dramatic persona. Bautista’s next project is the highly anticipated M. Night Shyamalan thriller, Knock at the Cabin.

When catching up with GQ, he explained in depth why he was ready to move on from the role that made him so recognizable. After nearly a decade and seven different Marvel projects, Bautista wants to leave Drax behind and start a new chapter. He said, that he is “so grateful for Drax,” he also admits that “there’s a relief [that it's over]. He explains,

“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.”

Further in the interview, Bautista also discussed his 2023 projects ahead that will shape his post-Marvel career. In regards to the upcoming Knock at the Cabin film, he said, “It’s by far the most I’ve ever spoken in a film. 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.” Bautista also said that when it comes to fame, he said, “Honestly, I could give a f**k [about being a movie star].” He later adds, “I don’t live a great big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don’t care about the spotlight, I don’t care about fame. 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.”

In other entertainment news, Benedict Cumberbatch is starring in a new Netflix limited series titled Eric.