Summary
While discussing his role inMy Spy: The Eternal City,Dave Bautista has confirmed a suspicion that his long-time fans have held since he broke into the Hollywood scene, and it is one of the most heartwarming ways an actor has ever connected with those who supported them long-term.
While Dave Bautista is best known to comic book fans for his role as Drax inGuardians of the Galaxy,the Hollywood actor first became an international star as a wrestler for the WWE, the biggest pre-wrestling/sports entertainment brand in the world, under the slightly altered ring name Dave Batista. In this guise, he was a multi-time champion and perpetual main event star, having storylines and fueds with all the top names in the company. While the star has now walked away from his WWE career, much in the same way he morerecently walked away from the role of Drax afterGuardians 3,the WWE Universe and wrestling fans, in general, are still solidly behind him in his recent endeavors, and he’s taken notice.
For a wrestler like Batista, who is mentionedon the same level as names like Randy Orton and John Cena, a devastating finishing move is a must and Bautista got his in the iconic Batista Bomb, a sit-out powerbomb that ended matches and won titles for the star’s near two-decade run with the company. Over the course of his acting career, fans have noticed the move (or something similar) occasionally make an appearance in a seemingly purposeful manner, even being added toGears 5alongside a Batista skin. In a recent interview withComicbookregarding his latest projectMy Spy: The Eternal Cityin which his use of the move in the project came up, Bautista revealed that he has indeed been slipping the move into as many of his performances as he could manage, and explains the heartwarming reasoning behind that decision.
From me? I’m ready for that. I just wanted to put it in. We were working on that fight scene and I was like, ‘Oh man this would be fun.’ And now, it’s kind of become my obsession. I’m trying to squeeze it into every film just because. I don’t know. You know, it’s one of those Easter eggs. I think if I can get it into every film, I will. It’s just a nod to my career. A nod to the fans.
No doubt due to his impressive size and physique, Bautista has found himself with quite a few action-oriented roles, allowing him to make use of the Batista Bomb a few times. While he has a lot of range and has expressed an interest in branching out from the expected roles, there might still be a fair bit of action ahead for him, as he was one of the cast members that came up whenJames Gunn namedGuardians Of The Galaxystars likely to join the DC Universe. Bautista has previously expressed a real interest in playing Bane, a DC character that could be making an appearance in any number of Gunn’s new DCU projects. While the man himself has waved the idea away due to his age, there’s always a chance that he ends up as a top pick for Bane, a character with a massive physique and a background and fighting style steeped in wrestling.
This nod to his past is doubly potent, asBautista stands out amongst his fellow WWE wrestlers-turned-actorsas an actor with range and determination to do right by a variety of roles. While his work speaks for itself, the extra effort to signal to his fans that he remembers his roots is yet another way that Bautista sets himself apart from the crowd and engenders even more love and support from fans.
My Spy: The Eternal Cityis available to stream on Prime Video.
