Dave Bautista has provided a disappointing update to Marvel fans by ruling out a return for his beloved character Drax.
Drax the Destroyer first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy as an intergalactic warrior, seeking revenge against the man who killed his family. The character quickly became a fan-favourite, returning for two Guardians of the Galaxy sequels and a holiday special.
Bautista also featured in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder, but exited the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2023 in order to pursue more dramatic roles.
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Though it's not unheard of for stars to return to the MCU, Bautista has confirmed he won't be reprising his role as Drax for a potential Guardians of the Galaxy 4.
"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," he told ComicBook.com, adding that it "obviously is not gonna happen", as Gunn has "gone a different route".
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Gunn co-wrote and directed the existing Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, but has since moved over to rival studio DC as co-chairman and co-CEO. Together with Peter Safran, the duo will develop the rebooted DC Universe.
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Despite ruling out a return for Drax, the actor revealed he would be open to rejoining the MCU in a different role, which Robert Downey Jr recently proved possible with his surprise comeback as Doctor Doom.
"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.
"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."
All three Guardians of the Galaxy movies and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special are streaming on Disney+.
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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.
