Dave Bautista’s best movies are action-packed, and his physique makes him the perfect action hero or villain. But, despite all of the major movies the Marvel veteran has been in, Bautista says he still feels “unfulfilled” as an actor, as he wants to branch into every genre. He previously claimed no one would cast him in a rom-com, but it now seems that Bautista’s dream of being a romantic comedy lead might finally come true -- and I’m so pumped for him!
Even though Dave Bautista looks like such a tough guy on screen, I think he has the charm necessary to sweep anyone off their feet on the big screen. Even Brittany Snow called the former wrestler “the sweetest man,” which led to him being cast in her movie, Parachute. Over a year after Bautista publicly stated that he’d love to star in a rom-com, he delivered great news to THR, as he revealed that progress has been made:
I said that and started getting calls immediately. So we’ve got a couple that we’re developing that are actually really funny. … [I’m] making my way there, like a full-on rom-com. Not like an action rom-com, a full-on rom-com.
Can we please get this man a rom-com? He'd be perfect! He not only possesses great screen presence but, as previously, he also has a warmth that shines through a number of his roles. The Dune star also wouldn't be the first actor to jump to a rom-com after making a name for himself with more intense roles.
For instance, The Sopranos' James Gandolfini starred in the over-90%-Rotten Tomatoes-rated rom-com Enough Said with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and was praised. It was his first starring role in the feel-good genre, and he did a superb job showing a funnier, gentler side. Quite frankly, I love seeing actors with "tough-guy" personas take on the rom-com genre, showing their versatility and vulnerability
Back in 2023, Dave Bautista said that he believed he'd yet to score a rom-com because he was "unattractive," which is heartbreaking. But, after Bautista expressed his desire to dive into the genre, fans and were quick to rally around him and pitch ideas. Even The Mandalorian's Katy O’Brien offered to be his co-star in a rom-com. So it's definitely evident that the A-lister has a lot of support in this endeavor.
The WWE vet's next movie, The Killer’s Game, is still in the action-comedy genre, it'll still put the Riddick actor in a role where he has a love interest, played by Sofia Boutella. The Algerian actress said she loved seeing her co-star’s transformation in the movie and found him very “touching.” His KG and Guardians of the Galaxy co-star, Pom Klementieff, also believed the film would allow him to showcase his “softer side."
Dave Bautista’s transition into a romantic lead in The Killer’s Game should provide a slight taste of how he'd perform in a rom-com. I’m really excited for Bautista’s rom-com dream to finally come true and hope that his plans come together accordingly. For now, know that you can see Bautista’s romantic side shine through in the aforementioned action flick, which opens on September 13th amid the 2024 movie schedule.
