It was announced on Monday that actor and former wrestler Dave Bautista will play a role in Netflix’s planned sequel to Rian Johnson’s comic book mystery thriller Knife out. A new role in a comic ensemble is a great fit for Bautista, whose acting career expanded dramatically after becoming a Marvel Cinematic Universe favorite for his no-nonsense comedian role as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers. But he was also always interested in purely dramatic roles: He appeared in Blade Runner 2049 and the James Bond movie spook, and he stars in the new film by Zack Snyder Army of the Dead As a widower and father, you simultaneously navigate a city full of angry zombies and his troubled relationship with his grown daughter.
Bautista has spoken broadly about how he took this Army of the Dead Role because of the opportunity to play a more nuanced, dramatic character than in the past. But he speaks to Polygon before the film’s release and says his Knife out 2 Character won’t be the same route for him – it will just be another step forward for a rapidly blossoming career.
“When you are familiar with the first one Knife outThey know it wasn’t very emotional, it’s not a deeply dramatic film, ”says Bautista. “But it was such a quirky movie and it was so interesting. It had such a great ensemble, as well as a talented cast. And Rian, I really want to work with him. So there are many of those factors. While it’s not the dramatic path that I really love and follow, I think this is a big statement given the caliber of the people involved and the success of the first film. “
Bautist a says that when you get won over to the role, it feels like a statement about where my career is. He laughs as he admits he hasn’t slept much since the news. “We rode this wave of advertising Army of the Dead
Bautista says he has a longer-term vision of where his career should go, but projects like Army of the Dead and Knife out 2 have temporarily redirected him. “My plan just got a little off course,” he tells Polygon. “I really had this plan where I was just trying to build my name, build myself as a brand, so I could do my own projects. There are a couple of films, original ideas, that I really want to make. And so I want to be behind the camera. Direction is where I really want to be. I’ve been producing a bit and getting into it more, but I really want to make a movie. “
The roles he’s getting right now are unexpected, but he says there’s no way he can turn them down: “They’re just too big of an opportunity. So it kind of keeps me away from that goal. These are good problems! I’m not complaining! But my goal is a little off track. My ultimate goal is that I only want to make one film in the next five years. “
Polygon will have more of Dave Bautista closer to the Netflix release of Army of the Dead, which opens in theaters on May 7th and starts streaming on May 14th. In the full version of this conversation, he discusses what kind of projects he would like to lead, what his current dream role looks like and how he has used his own life to inspire his Army of the Dead Character and more.
