Dave Bautista on Drax role: what did he say about Marvel exit, is he in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 movie?

Dave Bautista has expressed his “relief” that his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is coming to an end.

The professional wrestler-turned-actor said he was “grateful” to have played Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy films but added that he does not want the character “to be my legacy”. He expressed a desire to take on more dramatic roles in future.

Bautista recently starred in Glass Onion: A Knives Out film, released on Netflix prior to Christmas, and will next be seen on screen in Knock At The Cabin. The latter is the latest movie from M. Night Shyamalan.

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Volume 3 is due to be released in cinemas on 5 May and it is expected to be the last in the current iteration of the series. Bautista stars alongside Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, playing the dopey and often socially unaware character of Drax.

Here is all you need to know:

What has Dave Bautista said about his Marvel exit?

Bautista is currently between promotional cycles for Glass Onion, released in late 2022, and the upcoming Knock At The Cabin due in February of this year. Speaking during an interview with GQ magazine, he said: “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.”

Is Dave Bautista in Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3?

Bautista will be returning as Drax the Destroyer one more time, for Guardians 3 later this year. He recently returned to the role for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney Plus.

Since his debut in the first Guardians film in 2014, Bautista has played the role in five Marvel Cinematic Universe films - including Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Volume 3 will be his sixth and final feature film appearance as Drax.

The film will be released on 5 May and comes six years after the previous instalment of the franchise. During that time there was controversy surrounding old comments made by James Gunn which initially led to the director being fired by Disney, but after outpouring of support from the cast including Bautista and fans, he was later rehired to the role.

When did Dave Bautista begin acting?

Prior to acting, Bautista enjoyed a successful in-ring career in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), gaining fame with his ring name Batista. He began acting in 2006 and has gone on to appear in films including James Bond film Spectre in 2015, Blade Runner 2049 in 2017 and Dune in 2021.

Bautista is expected to feature in three major movies in 2023, including Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, Knock at the Cabin and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, a sequel to the 2021 blockbuster starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya.