Dave Bautista Wants Another Shot At The MCU, But Not As Drax

With ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ rumored to be in development, Dave Bautista has thrown his name into the mix, hinting that he’d be open to playing a new character in the MCU. Given Marvel Studios’ recent willingness to recast major actors in different roles this might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.

Additionally, the actor has been vocal about his belief that Drax’s arc ended perfectly in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’. He’s made it clear that he doesn’t want to tarnish that character’s legacy, nor does he have any interest in reprising the role unless director James Gunn personally called him.

“Drax is completely closed to me,” Bautista told ComicBook. “Unless James Gunn called me and asked if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested.” It’s an understandable stance. Drax evolved from a vengeful warrior to a father figure and found peace. Moreover, Vol. 3 gave him a satisfying conclusion. However, this doesn’t mean that the actor won’t ever return. 

Could Dave Bautista Join The MCU In A New Role?

Dave Bautista also admitted that if the right opportunity came along, he’d be more than willing to step back into the MCU, just in a different capacity. “If there’s [another] character that I’d be right for and that you want me for, man, I’d be totally open-minded to it. It’s just the Drax character ran its course.”

Additionally, with the multiverse expanding, there’s no shortage of potential roles for him. Moreover, one major development that makes Bautista’s return to Marvel more plausible is the studio’s apparent willingness to recast actors in different roles. If Robert Downey Jr. can reportedly return as Doctor Doom, there’s no reason Bautista couldn’t take on a new character, too.

Bautista has also made it clear that his superhero ambitions extend beyond Marvel. Previously, he expressed interest in playing Bane in the DC Universe, a role he’s campaigned for publicly. That doesn’t mean he’s closing the door. “Marvel, DC, I just wanna be in it,” he said. “I made that known to James, I made that known to the Russo brothers. Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, ‘Don’t count me out.‘”