Dave Bautista gives up dream to play Batman's Bane

Some dreams remain as dreams and nothing more.

Dave Bautista has always been upfront about wanting to play the DC villain Bane, but as new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran plan out the next 10 years of the DC Universe, the wrestler-turned-actor realised that it's never happening for him.

"I have had conversations with James [Gunn] about that," Bautista said in an interview with Insider. "But I think the direction he's leaning in, completely rebooting that whole universe, he's starting from scratch…and I think you need to do that."

Bane was last portrayed by Tom Hardy in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.

The actor had to bulk on 30kg to fit the role while fans have noted that Bautista could easily walk onto the set and play the villain with ease.

Unfortunately, Gunn and Safran's DCU reboot might require a younger actor to take on the role, something that the 54-year-old actor completely understands.

"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," said Bautista.

"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."

In 2021, Bautista revealed that he had approached Warner Bros to sit down and pitch his casting as Bane. Warner Bros was not looking to cast Bane at the time but the actor remained persistent.

[[nid:614027]]

"I've made no secret about this," the actor said in an appearance at Justice Con (via Collider).

"I want to play Bane so bad I went to Warner Bros., had an appointment with them, had an appointment with DC, walked in the door, and said, 'I want to play Bane.' I'm not kidding."

The actor admitted that those he spoke to "were a little like, 'Woah, we're not even casting Bane','" but Bautista remained determined. "I was like, 'I don't care, I'm playing him!" continued the actor.

Though Bautista as Bane is never happening, fans did get to see Bautista play a comic-book character.

Bautista played Drax in Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy and later reprised his role for six other films including the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.

The 2023 film, set to release on May 4, will be Bautista's swan song before exiting the MCU entirely – something the actor is surprisingly relieved about.

At 54, the actor is ready to switch gears and participate in more "dramatic stuff". Bautista recently appeared in Netflix's murder-mystery Glass Onion and will lead M Night Shyamalan's horror Knock at the Cabin, releasing Feb 16.

He will also continue to play Glossu Rabban Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two when it releases on Nov 2.