Though we figured as much anyway based on past comments from the actor, Dave Bautista has now confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will mark his final time playing Drax.
The Glass Onion star has never been shy about discussing the negative aspects of playing the team's resident powerhouse, and has previously expressed some dissatisfaction with the more comedic direction his character has been taken in over the years.
During an interview with GQ, Bautista makes it clear that, while he still has a lot of affection for Drax, he feels it's time to move on to more dramatic roles.
"I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him," he tells the site. "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 Draw to be my legacy - it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff."
Drax was responsible for a few funny moments when he debuted in James Gunn's first GOTG movie, but there was also a sense of pathos to the character (who was determined to get revenge on Ronan and Thanos for the death of his family) that was largely absent from his other MCU appearances, and it would be difficult to argue with Bautista's assessment that it did become a slightly "silly" part to play.
Vol. 3 is expected to be a relatively dark final journey for this iteration of the team, however, so perhaps Bautista will get the opportunity to flex his dramatic muscles before bidding farewell to The Destroyer for good.
The recent trailer appeared to hint at Rocket's demise, but we believe that was most likely misdirection, and Drax will be the one meeting his maker in the threequel!
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.