Dave Bautista Now Working on Multiple Rom-Com Movies Following Previous Comments

Dave Bautista says he now has multiple rom-com movies in the works.

Bautista has starred in a number of sci-fi and action movies over the years, as he’s known for playing Drax in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. He’s also starred in Dune: Part Two, My Spy: The Eternal City, and The Killer’s Game in 2024, while his most recent film, The Last Showgirl, recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

In January 2023, Bautista told Page Six that he’d like to star in a rom-com; however, he hadn’t had any offers to do so at the time.

“I know I’m not your typical rom-com lead,” Bautista said. “I’m a little rough around the edges. But I always, you know, I look in the mirror and I say, I ask myself, ‘Am I that unattractive? Is there something that unappealing about me that excludes me from these parts?’”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of The Killer’s Game, Bautista said that he “started getting a lot of phone calls” after those comments were published.

Dave Bautista will now star in at least one full-on rom-com

He continued, “I said that and started getting calls immediately. So we’ve got a couple that we’re developing that are actually really funny.” He added that he’s “making my way there, like a full-on rom-com. Not like an action rom-com, a full-on rom-com.”

Bautista further stated that he hopes his level of stardom will allow him to make more smaller, independent movies in the coming years.

“Those are the films I love. But the fastest route to that is being a commodity; if you’re a big star, you’re a commodity. So that’s the thing — people are willing to listen to you, they’re willing to hear you out if you can bring something to the table, and you bring something to the table when you’re a big star. So, I’m hoping that I can grow my name and become enough of a star where I can make smaller independent films.”

The Killer’s Game releases in United States theaters on September 13, 2024, from Lionsgate.