While Dave Bautista has made his mark on cinema by playing Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, he seems to have another comic book movie role on the horizon. This time, he will be working with Valiant Comics and Sony to bring one of their characters to theaters.
It sounds like Bautista will be playing Eternal Warrior, a character who first got his start in the 90’s. Eternal Warrior (also known as Gilad Anni-Padda) was born thousands of years ago; however, he was eventually made immortal, allowing him the opportunity to help ensure justice throughout his extended life.
It looks like the Eternal Warrior movie won’t be the only film that Valiant Comics is creating. In fact, they will roll out at least five films over the next few years. These movies will all be part of a bigger universe, culminating in the fifth film, where it’s promised that the characters will meet in an expansive storyline. This shouldn’t be too surprising, as it seems to be the most pervasive trend in modern comic book movies.
While this is a formula that has worked fairly well for Marvel and DC (though perhaps a little less so for the latter), the timing of this new universe may be potentially unfortunate. Recently, many people have discussed a growing disinterest in long-spanning comic book films. Certainly there are virtues in a more comprehensive universe (and the sheer work it entails) but there are also benefits in keeping the narrative contained. It allows less preparation and investment for the audiences and it can also help keep exhaustion of the topic at bay.
That being said, it would be unfair to judge a film that hasn’t even been made yet. Marvel and DC both had their individual troubles getting out of the gate too. Until the movies hit theaters, it’s wise to suspend judgment, especially considering the minds at Valiant Comics are just getting started with this new transition to film.
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