Dave Bautista Gives a Major Hint About His Potential Debut as a Batman Villain in James Gunn’s DCU
After making everyone laugh with his portrayal of Drax in the blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Dave Bautista now has his eyes on the DC universe. Being a fan of James Gunn’s work for a long time and having worked with him in the MCU, Bautista has expressed interest in entering the rebooted DC world by playing an iconic Batman villain.
Dave Bautista Hints at Joining the DCU
The discussions of seeing Dave Bautista in another superhero franchise have been flaring since 2021. The actor has expressed interest in portraying Bane in the DC universe. Previously played by Tom Hardy, the villainous character is one of the most feared villains in Batman comics. With his broad wrestler physique and a knack for action, fans have long wished to see Bautista as Bane.
To fan the speculative fire, Bautista took to Instagram to share a fanart displaying Bane’s character. While his face was obscured with a mask, we can clearly see Bane as the marvelous physical specimen he was meant to be. Being the only menacing foe who has quite literally broken Batman and his spirit multiple times, it would be incredible to see Bautista take on the role of Bane. Bautista’s latest Instagram story might just hint at his entry into the DCU. The rumors in the past have been spread in many different directions, so getting a concrete conclusion is difficult. In an interview with Insider, he said,
“I have had conversations with James about that but I think the direction he’s leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he’s starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher and I think you need to do that. You need to start to plan for the next 15 years, and I just don’t think you can do that with me. I understand that. And, also, I have to say that I appreciate that because I don’t want to play a character that I can’t bring justice to it. I don’t think at this point in my career that I can bring justice to Bane anymore. I just don’t know if I could handle the physical part, and I don’t think I would have the longevity to plan ahead for films.”
When James Gunn was roped in to reboot the DCU, fans thought he might bring Bautista to the franchise since the duo worked together on Guardians of the Galaxy. However, looking at Gunn’s plans for the superhero world, it seems like he’s casting younger actors to go back in time and give the DCU a more fresh feel. Superman and Supergirl are already cast, and in no time, Gunn might announce the other actors set to take the superhero mantle ahead. Bautista seems to agree.
Dave Bautista’s Upcoming Projects
After playing many roles in action and comedy spheres, Dave Bautista is now ready to dive into drama and explore more intricacies of his acting talents. He feels people did not take him seriously as an actor when he was playing Drax, a character who was all brawn over brain. Bautista wishes to take on more layered and complex characters that help him break out of the mold. This made saying goodbye to the Guardians franchise easier for the actor.
Landing a role in another blockbuster franchise, Dune, Bautista was happy to work harder so that people recognize his talents in the right light. He is also a part of the sequel to Dune, reprising his role as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen. The thriller Knock at the Cabin by M. Night Shyamalan also features Baustista in a central role. A much-awaited movie that is adapted from George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy is In the Lost Lands where Bautista will play Boyce. The movie is set to release this year.
