Five years ago, WWE World Heavyweight champion Dave Bauista would never have been suspected of having a budding acting career. But now, with his rise to Hollywood fame as Marvel’s Drax the Destroyer, as well as decent supporting roles in Spectre, Hotel Artemis and Blade Runner 2049, Bautista has made quite the lasting impression. All that remains to be seen, however, is whether his specific acting strengths can work as a lead character.
Our questions will be answered soon enough, as Bautista has been cast as the protagonist of the upcoming action-comedy My Spy. The film’s synopsis is the “story of a hardened CIA operative (Bautista) who finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.” Peter Segal (Get Smart, Fifty First Dates), a filmmaker whose previous work showcases experience in the action and comedy genres, will direct the movie.
My Spy is being produced by STXFilms, a division of the media company STX Entertainment. The film will be one of many upcoming releases from STX, including 2018’s Mile 22, The Happytime Murders, and Second Act. Among the names on board with STX’s projects include Melissa McCarthy, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Statham, and Norman Reedus.
Bautista will reprise his role as Drax in Marvel’s untitled Avengers 4 and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.