“Guardians of the Galaxy” filmmaker and DC Studios co-chief James Gunn is expected to unveil his and Peter Safran’s plans for the DC universe going forward tomorrow.
Ahead of that unveiling, actor Dave Bautista has been out promoting “Knock at the Cabin” and has revealed to Insider he won’t be playing one of his dream roles – that of Batman villain Bane – in Gunn’s new take on the DC Universe.
Bautista says he has spoken to Gunn and says the latter’s plans are to “start from scratch” on DC movies with the overall universe casting younger overall which would fit with the timeline of a ten-year plan for the future of DC – a plan that will also take a few years to enact.
Therefore that excludes Bautista who is 54 this year. He tells the outlet he understands and approves this approach:
“I have had conversations with James about that but I think the direction he’s leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he’s starting from scratch and starting younger and fresher and I think you need to do that.
I think for the DC Universe to be revived, you need to start from scratch, and I think you need to start with younger actors. You need to start to plan for the next 15 years, and I just don’t think you can do that with me.
And I understand that. And, also, I have to say that I appreciate that because I don’t want to play a character that I can’t bring justice to it. I don’t think at this point in my career that I can bring justice to Bane anymore. I just don’t know if I could handle the physical part, and I don’t think I would have the longevity to plan ahead for films. So, I just don’t know if I’d be that guy.”
Bautista revealed back in 2021 he really wanted to be the next actor to play Batman’s nemesis Bane and told them so when he had a meeting at Warner Bros. Pictures.
Tom Hardy was the last person to play the character on film in 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and has previously spoken about how getting into that shape has had a negative lasting impact on him physically.
