If a new rumour is to be believed, Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista may finally be heading back to a (different) Galaxy Far, Far Away.
According to insider @MyTimeToShineH (via SFFGazette.com), the former WWE Superstar and Dune actor has been cast in an upcoming Star Wars project. Unfortunately, that's all we have to go on for now, as no specific movie or Disney+ series has been named and there's no word on what kind of character Bautista might play.
It's worth noting that this is not an official Lucasfilm casting announcement, and the rumour is best taken with a pinch of salt. However, Bautista feels like a natural fit for the franchise.
The actor has made no secret of his desire to join Star Wars. He revealed several years ago that he had been in line for roles in multiple Star Wars movies, noting, "I’ve actually auditioned for a couple of Star Wars [movies], and they’ve turned me down. It was always a dream of mine to be in a Star Wars film."
That makes this new rumour particularly interesting, especially with Lucasfilm currently developing several projects that could potentially accommodate a performer of Bautista's stature.
One possibility is Star Wars: Starfighter, the upcoming post-sequel era movie from director Shawn Levy. The film stars Ryan Gosling in the lead and is set five years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, making it a completely new chapter in the franchise. The currently announced ensemble includes Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre and Amy Adams, among others.
Could Bautista have landed a secret role in that movie? It's certainly possible, although there's currently nothing definitive connecting him to Starfighter. For all we know, this could even be a voiceover role in an animated Star Wars TV show.
Another possibility, albeit less likely, is Ahsoka Season 2. The Disney+ series is expected to return in 2027, with Rosario Dawson reprising her role as Ahsoka Tano and new Lucasfilm President Dave Filoni continuing to oversee this era of storytelling. The season is also expected to have significant connections to the wider New Republic-era storyline.
Bautista could also be joining one of the other Star Wars movies currently in development, with Simon Kinberg's rumoured trilogy potentially next to begin shooting. There's also the long-delayed Rey project starring Daisy Ridley.
There's certainly no shortage of potential roles for an actor with Bautista's physical presence. Having already played Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the formidable Glossu Rabban in Dune, the actor has considerable experience bringing larger-than-life genre characters to the screen.
Hopefully, this is one casting rumour that ultimately becomes a reality. Stay tuned for updates.