Dave Bautista says he wants more serious roles after Guardians of the Galaxy

Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special — (Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

Dave Bautista is in a reflective mood as his tenure as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy comes to an end. In a new interview, the actor shared his hopes to take on more serious roles in the next stage of his career.

"I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him," Bautista told GQ. "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."

The actor has played the role since 2014, starring in the Guardians franchise as well as multiple Marvel movies including Avengers: Infinity War and Thor: Love and Thunder. However, it seems Bautista is content to put this stage behind him, recently appearing in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel Glass Onion. Next up, he’s starring in M. Night Shyalaman's thriller A Knock at the Cabin, before taking on his role in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery — (Image credit: Netflix)

He added to the publication that he’s content to strike his own path, rather than follow in the footsteps of other wrestling stars like Dwayne Johnson and John Cena. "I never wanted to be the next Rock," Bautista added. "I just want to be a good fucking actor. A respected actor."

He continued: "Honestly, I could give a fuck [about being a movie star]. I don't live a great big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don't care about the spotlight, I don't care about fame. I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don’t need accolades – I really don’t, man. It’s about the experience, about knowing that I accomplished something."

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is released on May 5, 2023. For the latest on that and other upcoming movies, here are all the confirmed 2023 movie release dates you need to know about.

If you’ve already seen Bautista in Glass Onion, check out our spoiler-filled guides to the Glass Onion ending, Glass Onion cameos, and all of the Glass Onion Easter eggs we spotted.

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.