Batista: The Evolution Of An Actor

Throughout the history of professional wrestling, many wrestling stars have turned to either the big or small screen and given a shot at acting. It goes so far back that I couldn’t even probably name every single one. But in the modern era, a lot of people have attempted to cross over into acting, with variable degrees of success. 

Perhaps most notable are two of the biggest names in the history of wrestling, Hulk Hogan and The Rock. But so many names in the past 30-40 years have tried their hand at it. Rowdy Roddy Piper was perfectly cast and phenomenal in John Carpenter’s cult masterpiece They Live, but never had the same success in the ensuing years. John Cena has done well in recent years, but much like his “Once In A Lifetime” opponent, The Rock, he generally plays the same character in every film. This brings us to today’s subject, former WWE Champion Dave Batista, who may be the best wrestler turned actor of the modern era, if not ever.

As his WWE career came to an apparent end in 2010, when he quit the company in one of the more memorable segments from the period, Batista would briefly have a fling in the world of MMA before moving more into acting, which he had flirted with during his WWE tenure, making brief appearances on shows such as Chuck and Smallville. While most remember his breakout role as Drax The Destroyer, he did make one major film appearance prior, oddly enough, alongside who would become the voice of one of his Guardian teammates. In 2013 he would appear as the character Diaz in Riddick, the third film in the Chronicles of Riddick series, which spawned from Pitch Black over a decade earlier. 

As with most wrestlers turned actors that preceded Batista, the action genre seemed to be the perfect way to break into the film business, and James Gunn would soon cast him in the role that would make him a movie star, Drax The Destroyer. This breakout role in 2014’s Guardians Of The Galaxy would lead him into the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe, with many considering him the film's breakout star. His comedic timing and hulking presence would eventually lead him to return in both 2017’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 and the forthcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 while participating in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. As he grew into the character and became more confident in his acting ability, he began to ad-lib on set, leading to one of the funniest scenes in Infinity War. 

Outside of the MCU, however, is where Batista would genuinely begin to show that he had more interest than just being another action star in the vein of Dwayne Johnson. A villainous turn as the henchman Hinx in the James Bond film Spectre would continue along the generic path for a pro wrestler turned actor, but when Batista connected with Denis Villeneuve, he would finally be allowed to show just more than his impressive size in terms of acting. Playing the brief role of Sapper Morton in Blade Runner 2049, Batista appears as a reserved and quiet man who can be dangerous as a replicant in terms of the story. He holds his own in a scene against Ryan Gosling before a beautifully choreographed fight scene results in his death, which also helps set in motion the following events in the film. However, in the short film Blade Runner 2048: Nowhere To Run, Batista truly shines in the role, allowing him to fully engulf himself in character in an impressive turn for the five-minute short, seen below.

The connection with Villeneuve would help him break out of that constant idea that former pro wrestlers could only play action roles, leading him to work again with Villeneuve on his massive two-part film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, playing the antagonistic Glossu Raban in the first film, with the second part expected sometime in late 2023. Speaking with Vanity Fair about the role and his work with Villeneuve, Batista was very open about his happiness.

If I could be a number one [on the callsheet] with Denis, I would do it for fucking free,” he said. “I think that’s how I could find out how good I could be. He brings out the best in me. He sees me in a different light, sees the performer that I want to be. That might be how I solve the puzzle.

His work here led him to the attention of M. Night Shyamalan, who was in the process of adapting Paul Tremblay’s novel The Cabin At The End Of The World. While Shymalan would make changes to the novel in significant ways leading to the film Knock At The Cabin, he knew that Batista could work perfectly in the role of Leonard, the man who appears to be the leader of a group of four people who hold hostage a family consisting of two dads and a small daughter, informing them of the fact that one of them must choose to die to help save the world.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Batista confirmed this thought process of his previous work, bringing him into the role.

Night considered me for Leonard because he saw me in Blade Runner. So all these little pieces opened doors for me," he says. "I've based my life on opportunity. My success is based on opportunity. Everybody's success should be based on opportunity."

If you have not seen the film, I will avoid spoilers but say this having seen the film as a theatrical experience. Once again holding his own with seasoned actors such as Harry Potter veteran Rupert Grint and Mindhunter star Jonathan Groff, Batista steals the movie with a performance that is at times intimidating and vulnerable simultaneously. On a personal note, I came out of the theatre declaring Batista as, at the very least, the best modern professional wrestler turned actor. This is not even speaking of his continued success in action films like Zack Snyder’s Army Of The Dead, where he still gets to flex those muscles while waiting for more and more opportunities to show that he is an incredible actor. His comedic chops continue to be shown as Drax in the MCU and even a scene-stealing role in the Knives Out Netflix sequel Glass Onion.

With the second part of Dune still to come, one can only imagine what other opportunities will begin to line up for Batista as he continues to show that he is more than the muscle look but an incredible actor willing to dive into any role that may come his way. Let’s hope the directors in Hollywood genuinely see the talent beneath the surface and how well the man once known as the sea beast Leviathan has evolved into someone who can make any role his own.