Dave Bautista relieved after leaving ‘silly’ Marvel role: ‘It wasn’t all pleasant’

Former professional wrestler turned actor Dave Bautista is relieved after leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Drax in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” calling the role “silly.”

For nearly a decade, Bautista played Drax for the “Guardians” franchise as well as made seven different appearances in MCU-related projects; however, he will likely not return to the role following the release of “Guards of the Galaxy Vol. 3.”

“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. But there’s a relief [that it’s over],” Bautista said in an interview with GQ Magazine. “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.”

Recently Bautista has landed a number of new dramatic roles in upcoming blockbuster movies, including the next “Dune” sequel and M. Night Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin. He also appeared in “Glass Onion,” starring alongside Daniel Craig and Kate Hudson. 

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Dave Bautista said that he is relieved to depart his role as Drax in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie franchise. 
(Anthony Harvey/Getty Images)

“It’s by far the most I’ve ever spoken in a film,” Bautista said of Shyamalan’s new thriller. “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.”

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The actor’s films will premiere throughout 2023, with “Knock at the Cabin” set to open on Feb. 3, the next “Guardians” movie on May 5, followed by “Dune: Part Two” on Nov. 3. 

“Honestly, I could give a f— [about being a movie star],” Bautista told GQ. “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.”

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