Dave Bautista's Work On Knock At The Cabin Was Everything M. Night Shyamalan Hoped For
Dave Bautista is on the precipice of a career high point. 2023 marks the release of three major performances from the wrestler-turned-actor: sadistic antagonist Glossu Rabbu in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two," his swan song as the "Guardians of the Galaxy" sweetheart Drax the Destroyer, and his most prominent speaking role to date, as potential cult leader Leonard in M. Night Shyamalan's "Knock At The Cabin." Needless to say, Bautista has definitely carved out a place for himself in Hollywood, and moviegoers are luckier for it.
Bautista is easily one of the greatest actors to make the transition from wrestling — that certainly seems to be the consensus amongst all the directors who have worked with him (an impressive list that includes James Gunn, Sam Mendes, and Zack Snyder, among others). Rian Johnson only just got done singing Bautista's praises following the press tour for "Glass Onion," and as we approach the release of "Knock at the Cabin," Shyamalan seems to be taking his place. Speaking with ComicBook.com's Chris Killian, Shyamalan voiced his belief that Bautista delivers one of the greatest performances of the entire year in the upcoming film. "Right guy. Right role. Right moment in his life," Shyamalan said of Bautista, sharing the following story:
"I was at a dinner with some friends, and they were like 'How is Dave Bautista? The wrestler, right? That's crazy! How was that?' And I was like 'He gave one of the best performances of the year in that movie.' And they were like 'Hahaha!' And I was like, 'Nah... there's no joke, I'm just giving you the straight on it. This dude brought it.'"
Bautista bids Drax a fond farewell
M. Night Shyamalan went on to say that Dave Bautista did the very thing all directors dream of: "He was completely vulnerable, completely put himself in my hands, and said 'I trust you.' And because of that, I felt so much need to bring out the beauty in who he is as a human being." For his part, Bautista hasn't been quiet about his excitement for folks to see the film. "Knock At The Cabin," along with the rest of his 2023 lineup, seem to mark a turning point in his career. While he's probably best known for his role as Drax, that's never been the side of Hollywood that Bautista aspired to. So while he adored his time as the lovable brute, the actor has his sights set on more dramatic turns in the future — which is a message that he expects the upcoming Shyamalan movie to deliver.
In some ways, Bautistas's career trajectory is quite comparable to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: They both made the leap from wrestling to starring roles, right down to being part of major superhero franchises. But becoming an A-lister isn't Bautista's driving force. "I never wanted to be the next Rock," Bautista told GQ. "I just want to be a good f***ing actor. A respected actor."
And sure enough, one gander at his filmography makes it clear what kind of career Bautista is after. Even his more action-centric roles have given him room to showcase his talents and work with the very best, like going toe-to-toe with James Bond under the guidance of Sam Mendes or coming back for three different movies with Denis Villeneuve. Now comes "Knock At the Cabin," teaming him up with M. Night Shyamalan in a role that the director premises will put Bautista's capabilities on full display.
Prepare for many pages of monologues
"It's by far the most I've ever spoken in a film," Dave Bautista said of "Knock At The Cabin" in his GQ profile, adding that his part in the film included "huge pages of monologues." The details of his role are all very mysterious — and knowing M. Night Shyamalan, impossible to guess from the trailers and synopsis. All we know for sure is that the film follows a family vacation interrupted by the arrival of four strangers who take the parents (Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and young daughter (Kristen Cui) hostage. Bautista's Leonard seems to be the head of the group and judging by that promise of many monologues, will likely deliver a couple of philosophical heavy hitters as he asks the impossible of the small family, convinced that their difficult choice is the only way to avert the apocalypse.
It certainly promises a change of pace from Bautista: The hulking figure of Leonard makes for a narrative antagonist, but the mysterious home invader truly believes he's doing the right thing. So where does his tortured soul actually fit into the story? We'll find out soon, when "Knock at the Cabin" debuts in theaters on February 3, 2023.