Dave Bautista has come a long way from his days as a professional wrestler (though he does still pay homage to his signature WWE move in his flicks). Over the past decade, Bautista has put in a host of great performances through films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Blade Runner 2049. And, in 2023 alone, he starred in three major productions, which is incredibly impressive. He also has a few titles that are currently sitting on the 2024 movie schedule. Despite the fact that there are already so many great Bautista-led films out there, it seems that the leading man still feels “unfulfilled” as an actor. And, honestly, his reason for that is understandable.
The 55-year-old star has most recently been promoting his latest endeavor – the 2024 movie schedule entry My Spy: The Eternal City. While chatting with ET, the A-lister not only discussed the flick but was also candid about some of the internal challenges he’s wrestled with from a professional standpoint. He’s certainly accomplished quite a bit during his time working within the Hollywood system, though it sounds like he has a few other goals in mind:
I feel unfulfilled as an actor. I have goals onto certain spaces. I want to be an A to Z actor. I want to be in every genre. There’s still a few that I haven’t gotten into, a few boxes I haven’t checked. But also I haven’t gotten that role that is just that deep, dramatic moving role. [That’s what I’m] searching for, so I feel very unfulfilled.
So, on the whole, the former Drax the Destroyer actor wants to dip his toes into a number of different genres. Given that he’s an actor, it’s only natural that he’d want to help tell a vast array of stories. However, I’d argue that the humble wrestler-turned-movie star is being a little too hard on himself. His filmography is already filled to the brim with movies that belong to different genres. The 007 espionage thriller Spectre, the martial arts drama Master Z: Ip Man Legacy and the mystery comedy Glass Onion are just a few of the titles on that list. And, in 2023, he starred in the sci-fi flick Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, psychological horror film Knock at the Cabin and animated fantasy epic The Boy and the Heron. So the actor has certainly been around, but his perspective does speak to his discipline and humility.
There are indeed some professional milestones that Dave Bautista has yet to reach, though. Something that he still seems keen on doing is landing a directing gig. During his conversation with ET, he was honest about why he’s still so eager to sit in the big chair at some point:
I’m a total control freak, so I want to direct. I want to direct performances and I want to make my own film.
Considering how meticulous the Army of the Dead star has proven to be, it’s not difficult to envision him helming a film. I, for one, hope that he gets the opportunity to do that at some point. What he’d surely excel at in that position is working with actors, as he could surely empathize with his stars while they’re engaged in the more nuanced aspects of crafting a performance. Seriously, can Hollywood make a Dave Bautista-helmed flick happen?
More recently, Dave Bautista has had his hands full with acting work. Having already starred in this year’s Dune: Part Two, he’s looking towards the releases of two more 2024 releases – The Killer’s Game and The Last Showgirl. Beyond that, he also has the post-apocalyptic action film Afterburn and other projects on the horizon. I’m loving that the WWE alum is staying book and busy but also hopeful that he’ll eventually find the fulfillment he seeks. You can catch Bautista’s latest movie, My Spy: The Eternal City, by streaming it with a Prime Video subscription.