Dave Bautista Has No Plans To Return To Drax Role For Future Marvel Projects

RIP Drax!

Dave Bautista James Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy Drax Avengers Mantis

Dave Bautista, best known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has announced that he has no plans to return to the role. Bautista has been a fan-favorite for his portrayal of the lovable and humor-filled Guardians of the Galaxy character, but it seems that he is ready to move on from the MCU.

“It’s hard, but it’s time, and it’s the perfect exit,” Bautista said during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “We all had those perfect kind of character arcs and such a storybook ending. I constantly relate it to the way I finished my wrestling career, I ended it on a storybook note and I would never go back and tarnish that, and it’s the same with this, with Drax. I just got to end it in a perfect way, and I would never sign up for another job as Drax just to get a pay cheque… I wouldn’t tarnish that, and I won’t do it.”

Over the past few years, Dave Bautista has been vocal about his love for the character, as well as his commitment to the franchise. However, Bautista has stated that he feels it is time to explore other projects and opportunities. He has mentioned that while he had a great time playing Drax, he is looking forward to taking on new and challenging roles that will allow him to stretch his acting skills.

Bautista’s departure from the role of Drax is a significant loss for Marvel, as he has become a staple of the franchise. He has been a prominent part of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and has been featured in several other Marvel projects as well. His portrayal of the character has been well-received by fans and critics alike, and many are sad to see him go.

When do the Guardians of the Galaxy return?

The recent Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney Plus saw Drax and Mantis teaming up to kidnap Kevin Bacon so that the celebrity could cheer-up Peter Quill, a.k.a Star-Lord. All the Guardians are set to return in Vol. 3, which is currently slated to hit theaters on May 5, 2023.

Written and directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone, Will Poulter, Chukwudi Iwuji and Maria Bakalova.

Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!

Michael Bezanidis

Michael Bezanidis

Michael is the Managing Editor of Heroic Hollywood. When he's not playing video games, he's usually writing about film and television.