Many stars have become associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years. One such star, however, has confirmed his upcoming exit from the MCU.
This exit will apparently take place in the upcoming film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. The new film is expected to be a major milestone for the intergalactic superhero team. Director James Gunn has repeatedly stated it will change the team going forward and he himself will no longer be part of Marvel after the film’s release.
But now it turns out that a specific actor will likewise be removing himself from the franchise. And, interestingly enough, he’s given a solid explanation why.
The actor mentioned is none other than Dave Bautista. Fans will recognize him for having played Drax the Destroyer in numerous MCU projects. Now, as confirmed with GQ, he’ll be leaving the role following the release of Guardians 3.
Here’s why:
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. But there’s a relief [that it’s over],” he began.
“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.”
Dave Bautista also knows what kind of “dramatic stuff” he’d love to do. Specifically, he wants to work once again with filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. He previously played a role in Villeneuve’s film Blade Runner 2049.
“If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for f***ing free.”
“I think that’s how I could find out how good I could be. He brings out the best in me. He sees me in a different light, sees the performer that I want to be. That might be how I solve the puzzle,” Bautista explained.
As such, fans should no longer expect to see Dave Bautista in the MCU after he makes his exit with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
Original Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 director James Gunn returned to direct this third installment.
The cast for the upcoming film features returning stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, and the voice talents of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel. Will Poulter is joining the cast as Adam Warlock.
The highly-anticipated sequel Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 will be released on May 5, 2023. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates on this upcoming MCU project as we have them. For now, however, it looks like fans can expect the film to be the final MCU appearance of Dave Bautista prior to his exit.