The MCU is the biggest movie franchise on the planet, and thanks to one hit film after the next hitting the big screen since 2008’s Iron Man, there is simply nothing standing in its way. The franchise has taken plenty of risks, but these risks have been calculated and have paid off majorly.
Dave Bautista made his MCU debut back in 2014 as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, and he has been in the franchise ever since. As great as this has been, Bautista’s recent comments about his future in the MCU has fans wondering whether or not Drax will be a thing of the past in the near future.
Let’s take a closer look at Bautista’s time as Drax and how his comments could lead to an early MCU exit.
Bautista Has Played Drax In The MCU
Back in 2014, the Guardians of the Galaxy made their debut in their very own MCU film. Despite not being hugely popular in the comics, Marvel’s decision to roll the dice on the team paid off in a profound way when the film became a major success. Dave Bautista played Drax the Destroyer in the film, and he was an integral part of the first film catching on with fans.
As a former WWE performer, Dave Bautista had plenty of experience entertaining fans, but he still had relatively limited acting experience. He wound up being perfectly cast in the role of Drax, and his performance led to some of the funniest moments in the first film. Naturally, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy quickly led to a second film being made.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, much like its predecessor, wound up being another major hit for Marvel. Bautista was once again great in the movie, and while some people prefer watching the first installment, Vol. 2 still had a lot to love about it, and it did some exceptional things with its lead characters.
Bautista would reprise the role of Drax in the MCU in both Infinity War and Endgame, both of which made the MCU billions of dollars at the box office. Though Drax wasn’t around for much of Endgame, fans were still excited to see him in action taking down Thanos. It may seem like Dave Bautista could do this forever, but some recent comments caught the attention of MCU fans.
Will ‘Guardians 3’ Be His Last MCU Film?
Fans of the MCU all know that the Guardians of the Galaxy will be appearing in Thor: Love and Thunder and in their own film, but after the trilogy flick his theatres, Bautista could be done with the MCU.
Bautista told Ellen DeGeneres, “I am going to be 54 years old by the time 3' [GOTG Vol. 3] comes out, and the shirtless thing is getting harder and harder for me; [and] the journey has come full circle and I'm just ready to kind of step aside and wrap it up.”
He also said, “I've been doing interviews and talking a lot about Guardians, and I didn't think it was going to be news, because I figured everybody assumed that this is how it works. We work in trilogies and James Gunn has already announced that it's his last film, and when James is done I'm done. And I'm also going to be 54 years old by the time Guardians 3 comes out and just, like, the shirtless thing is getting harder and harder for me. The journey has come full circle, and I'm ready to just kind of step aside and wrap it up.”
If this holds true, then Bautista’s time in the MCU is ending sooner rather than later. This, however, does not mean that he won’t be busy.
What Bautista Has On Deck
As we mentioned already, Bautista still has his two MCU films on deck, and it sure seems like the actor is going to make even bigger strides with a few major projects that he is attached to.
This year alone, Bautista has been in Army of the Dead, and he will also be in Dune, which is set for release later this year. Both films have the potential of being successful, which bodes well for Bautista and his future projects.
According to IMDb, Bautista is also attached to projects like Knives Out 2, Groove Tails, Universe’s Most Wanted, and In the Lost Lands. Fans will be keeping a close eye to see how they all play out.
Dave Bautista’s recent comments sure make it seem like Drax the Destroyer will be a thing of the past in due time.