Dave Bautista is returning one final time to play Drax in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 later this year. It’ll be his third Guardians movie and seventh time appearing in an MCU production as the hulking character. Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Bautista commented on saying goodbye to the character, confirming that Drax is getting a “storybook” sendoff.
“It’s hard [to walk away], but it’s time. It’s the perfect exit. We all had those perfect kind of character arcs. It’s such a storybook ending,” Bautista said (via Variety).
He said it’s similar to how he wrapped up his wrestling career, saying he enjoyed that final sendoff and hopes the same is true for Drax.
“I got to end [it] in the perfect way. I would never sign up for another job as Drax just to get a paycheck. I would tarnish that [legacy] and I won’t do it,” Bautista said.
Also in the interview, Bautista said Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is “the last version of our Guardians of the Galaxy.” This seems to suggest that the Guardians series could continue with a different cast later down the road, but nothing is confirmed yet.
Earlier this year, Bautista said it was a “relief” to say goodbye to Drax because “the makeup process was beating me down.” Not only that, but Bautista said at the time that Drax is a silly character and he is interested in “more dramatic stuff.” Bautista is now doing just that, as he stars in M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin as Leonard.
Fans will see Bautista as Drax one last time in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in May 2023. Outside of the Marvel series, Bautista is lobbying to Netflix to cast him as Marcus Fenix in the Gears of War movie.
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