Dave Bautista Would Return for Guardians 4 on One Condition

Dave Bautista would return to play Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on just one condition. In an interview with ComicBook.com to promote his new movie, In the Lost Lands (in theaters March 7th), the actor opened up about his time in the MCU and laid out his terms to reprise Drax in a potential Guardians of the Galaxy 4. He would only be open to it if James Gunn (who is now the co-head of DC Studios) was involved and asked him to do it. While Bautista admits there’s a slim chance of that happening, he hasn’t completely shut the door on an MCU return in general. He revealed that in conversations with the filmmakers, he expressed interest in any role.

“Drax is completely closed to me. Unless James Gunn called me and asked if I would do something as Drax again, I just wouldn’t be interested,” Bautista said. “If James called me, which obviously is not gonna happen. He’s doing okay, he’s gone a different route,” he added, referencing Gunn’s current position with DC.

“But I do wanna be in that world, I’m a fan of that world, I’m a fan of comic books and that whole universe,” Bautista said regarding the prospect of taking on a different character. “Marvel, DC, I just wanna be in it. I made that known to James, I made that known to the Russo brothers. Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, ‘Don’t count me out. If there’s a character that I’d be right for and that you want me for, man, I’d be totally open-minded to it.’ It’s just the Drax character ran its course.”

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Bautista made his MCU debut in the original Guardians of the Galaxy back in 2014, instantly becoming a fan favorite thanks to his action prowess and comedic timing. Not only did he reprise the role in the two Guardians of the Galaxy sequels (plus a holiday special), Bautista also appeared in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Love and Thunder.

In the build-up to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023, Bautista made clear his intention to retire from Drax, expressing a desire to pursue more dramatic roles and showcase his acting range. He previously stated he would be open to reuniting with Gunn on a different project, but admitted they “haven’t had the conversations” yet.

As Bautista indicates, the chances of a Gunn-directed Guardians of the Galaxy 4 are nonexistent. Alongside Peter Safran, Gunn is overseeing the development of the DC Universe franchise, which already has several projects coming through the pipeline (including Gunn’s Superman this summer). While Gunn had a very successful run with Marvel, his time in the MCU appears to be over for the foreseeable future. So, audiences have almost definitely seen the last of Drax. Still, given Bautista’s history with the filmmaker, it isn’t surprising he’d be up for another collaboration down the line. It’ll be interesting to see if Gunn finds a spot for him in the DC Universe.

It remains to be seen what the future holds for the Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU. The third movie concluded the current iteration of the team, wrapping up their story on an emotional note that felt like a true ending. Another Guardians of the Galaxy installment doesn’t appear to be in Marvel’s plans as the studio gears up for the finale of the Multiverse Saga, and that’s arguably for the best. While Gunn didn’t originate the franchise, his filmmaking style became so synonymous with the characters that it would be difficult to see anyone else attempt to make Guardians of the Galaxy 4. As for the prospect of Bautista playing someone else in the MCU, if Robert Downey Jr. can return to be Doctor Doom, any former Marvel actor can get another character.