Dave Bautista hasn’t been shy about his desire to take on more dramatic challenges in his acting career, thanks to his recent admittance of the satisfaction he feels in leaving Drax the Destroyer behind, while also making it very clear that he wants to be an actor rather than a movie star.
On one hand, Bautista’s physique and distinction as an ex-professional wrestler might see him struggle to separate himself from some of his more physically-demanding, hard-headed roles, such as the aforementioned Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, his turn as Scott Ward in Army of the Dead, and even his character of Duke Cody in Glass Onion, who, while less action-heavy than his more popular roles, probably isn’t quite the challenge Bautista was looking for.
On the other hand, Bautista is more than capable of wielding a heavier level of gravitas with the same deft that any thespian would strive to grasp, and we’re set to get an extra special taste of that in Knock at the Cabin, the latest project from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan.
Bautista will portray Leonard, a quiet but menacing man and one of the four intruders who pressure a family of three to sacrifice one of their own to prevent the apocalypse. It certainly looks to be a capstone moment for the actor, as a mere glimpse at Leonard hints at a depth that will no doubt provide a striking emotional beat for the film, and the star was all too happy to delve into the mental process of creating Leonard, which involved toeing the line between imposing and empathetic.
Bautista noted that, while Leonard still had a palpable air of intimidation, the character is also far gentler than the roles that we’re used to seeing the actor in, and injecting a weighty kindness into a character such as that proved to be a tricky, if rewarding, balancing act.
We’re hoping that the pre-emptive lauding of Bautista’s performance is a good omen for Knock at the Cabin as a whole. After the unspeakably bad Old, the filmmaker needs a thumbs-up here.
Knock at the Cabin will release to theaters on Feb. 3.