Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was widely criticized for turning Drax into a bit of a buffoon, but it turns out there may have been a reason why Marvel Studios and director James Gunn decided to lean more heavily into the comedic side of the character.
The filmmaker was asked whether any other actors were ever considered for the role before Dave Bautista landed the gig, and after first revealing that the former WWE Champion was his "only choice" despite others testing, Gunn added that Drax emerged as the most popular character after Vol. 2 test screenings.
This may seem a little hard to believe - especially in a movie that also features the adorable Baby Groot - but it may go some way towards explaining why Drax was utilized almost entirely as comic relief in the movie. The character had his moments in the first film, of course, but the humour was tinged with a sense of pathos that many felt The Destroyer was missing in the sequel.
Bautista has also expressed frustration with how Drax was portrayed in Vol. 2, so it will be interesting to see if any changes are made for Gunn's final instalment in the trilogy, which is currently in-production.