From the far reaches of the galaxy as Drax in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, to Oscar-winning Dune, to Rian Johnson’s sensational sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Dave Bautista is killing it in Hollywood. While promoting his latest film, M. Night Shyamalan’s latest psychological thriller, Knock at the Cabin, Bautista sat down with Collider’s own Steve Weintraub to talk about his new role and more.

In Knock at the Cabin, Bautista plays Leonard in what Collider’s Ross Bonaime describes as, “a performance that shows the depth of emotion he can pull off in every scene.” Leonard is a mysterious stranger who appears at the doorstep of a cabin secluded deep in the woods. Flanked by four others wielding an assortment of weapons, they interrupt a family’s vacation with a terrifying ultimatum. Bautista’s Leonard seems conflicted as he explains to the subdued couple, played by Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge, that they and their young daughter, Wen (Kristen Cui), must make a horrible decision to prevent the apocalypse.

During his interview, Bautista discusses the trajectory of his career since his first feature role in Buschwick at Sundance and making that transition from a six-time world champion in wrestling to a rising star in Hollywood. He talks about still being a “fanboy” when meeting directors, prepping for this role, why it was important for him to see M. Night Shyamalan’s cameo in Knock at the Cabin, and how working with Shyamalan is different than with other filmmakers. Bautista also confirms the sequel to 2020’s My Spy and teases his upcoming film, The Cooler, from Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation screenwriter, Drew Pearce. You can watch the interview in the video above, or read the full transcript below.

Image via Universal 

COLLIDER: I want to start with, congratulations. I know you’re hearing it from everybody, let me join the chorus. You’re so good in this. Did you ever think, when we spoke back in 2017 for Bushwick at Sundance, that the next few years would bring such diverse roles, and you killing it, like in [Blade Runner 2049]? The list is just crazy.

DAVE BAUTISTA: I didn’t think because I didn’t assume. When we had that conversation back then you knew what I was after. And so I wanted, I wished for, I prayed and I asked, and I sought after, but no, I didn’t assume it was gonna, you know, come my way.

It was one of those challenges I knew I was up against breaking into Hollywood because people saw me a certain way. It was one of those things that really, I had to work at. I really had to separate myself a little bit from wrestling, which kind of sucked. At the time I think a lot of people took it wrong, but I needed to do it to get people to see me differently. It took years and years and years of that, taking smaller roles, just to get people to… Like the role in Blade Runner. I fought for that role because I knew it was a good role, and it would get me somewhere, and it would get me to here. So, no, something to this magnitude, no. I mean, I didn’t think it was gonna come, I just kind of prayed and hoped for.

This role is so different than anything you’ve done before, and it’s getting to work with [M. Night Shyamalan], it’s doing all these dialogue scenes, it’s not really action. I’m curious, how much did you actually pay Night to be in the movie?

BAUTISTA: [Laughs] You know, it’s funny because with our first conversation… You know, I always kind of get my fanboy out of the way – it’s kind of hard not to, but I can’t move on until I do – and that was one of the first things I brought up. I love that he always pops up in his films because people, they know that and they look for it, and they’re excited about it, and so yeah, I was happy. Because we didn’t see it, we knew when it was going to be in the film, but until the film was put together we didn’t see it.

So when I saw it, I just started laughing out loud and I kind of needed that moment of levity because I was having so much anxiety about the film, and my performance. I was watching myself and – as I typically do – just cringing, and that moment just gave me a sigh of relief and a good laugh, like, “There it is, that’s his cameo.”

Image via Universal

You have done a lot of acting in the last few years. If someone has actually never seen any of your performances on film, what is the one you want them starting with, and why?

BAUTISTA: Oh wow. Oh, that’s a big question because now I feel like I’m gonna dismiss any other role.

By the way, I want a caveat by saying not this film because you’re fantastic in this, but of the other roles.

BAUTISTA: Thank you. That’s the thing, it probably wouldn’t be this film either because I want them to see something that was like right in the middle. Definitely not like a lead role, but something like… I always go back to Hotel Artemis for some reason. I think it’s because the role, it was a different type of role, it was me playing a character. It wasn’t me always being that big badass, he was a big badass, but he also had a heart. But also, I always associate myself with the people that I’m working with, and that was such a strong cast, like such a well-respected cast. It would probably be Hotel Artemis.

Yeah, (director) Drew [Pearce] did a really good job with that.

BAUTISTA: I thought so, as well. I was really proud of that movie.

So you’ve worked with a number of directors now, how is Night different onset than the other directors you’ve worked with?

BAUTISTA: Well, I have to say that, most of the directors I’ve worked with, like really big-name monster directors who are amazing directors, I haven’t worked with as a lead. So, I just spent more time with Night. We had so many more conversations, in-depth philosophical conversations, and so I think that was it. I think that the time investment that he had with me was greater than anything I’ve ever experienced.

But also, that his direction is never simple. He doesn’t give you simple directions. He gives you very complex, very conversational directions, and it’s a lot to process. He gives you the direction, you have the conversation, but then he lets you process it and perform it, and then if he’s happy, he’s happy and if he’s not, he’ll come in and we’ll have another conversation. So it’s weird, he’s not a typical director, not as far as anyone I’ve ever worked with. It’s weird, he’s precise, but he gives you a lot of information to process. So it’s not very specific [or] detailed, it’s just a full-on conversation. I hope that makes sense.

100%. What do you think it is about the end of the world movies and television shows that people just love that genre?

BAUTISTA: I don’t know, man, I think it’s just the suspense. I think it’s one of those things, it’s a typical… Like a horror movie, you always have somewhere to run, you have somewhere to hide and people will say, “Run! Hide!” But with the end of the world, there’s nowhere to go. You’re not safe, no matter where you run, no matter where you hide, you’re not safe if the world is ending. So I think it’s that constant suspense, it’s like [the] suspense of, there is nowhere to run, there’s nowhere to hide. You’re not getting away from this. This is not a character with a knife in his hand chasing you. This is the apocalypse, this is the end of the world.

Image via Universal

I read that some of the scenes you guys were filming were like 10 pages, five-minute-long scenes. I’m sure for you it’s daunting when you’re stepping on set because you’re part of this ensemble. How was it for you in preparing for this role versus some of the other things you’ve done?

BAUTISTA: There was just so much more pressure. I mean, there was so much more pressure because there was not only that, but Night was also shooting with one camera and it was on film, and nobody wants to burn up film. We all know it’s expensive. So there’s the pressure of that. But also, when there’s one camera and they’re covering everybody, if Jonathan Groff is just killing it, he’s killing it, giving it his everything in this emotional performance, and then the camera kind of turns your way and you blow it, that negates his whole performance. You gotta start all over and [you’ve] got to do it again and nobody wants to do that.

I mean, these people are just, they’re so talented and so beautiful and they’re giving these performances that are so emotional that the pressure is on for you to really kind of get sucked up into that moment and bring your A-game. Otherwise, you’re going to be a handicap to this cast and nobody wants to be that person.

No, completely. Listen, while I was really looking forward to this movie, I will admit my most anticipated film of the year is a sequel to Dune. I think [Denis Villeneuve] is amazing, and I definitely have to ask you what it was like working on the sequel.

DAVE BAUTISTA: You’ve heard me talk about the first film, we’ve talked about the first film. It was that times 100 because it was Rabban amped up, and my part is much bigger on this. I got to spend much more time with Denny, which I crave for because I love working with Denny. And Denny, again, he just brings out the best in me and this was such an amazing experience. Before I left the film – [we were] talking about something else and I’m not gonna say until it actually happens, but he knows that my dream is to work with him as a number one because I really think that Denny will show me how good I can be.

This is so amped up from the first film. The first film was just an introduction to what this film is. There’s just so much going on, it’s so much more cutthroat and political and intense. And there are moments of levity where [there are] some funny moments, and they’re kind of absurd humor, but there are those moments. So it’s just so much more amped up than the first film.

Greig Fraser shot the sequel. He shot the first one, [and] I spoke to him. He’s very happy with how it turned out. Can you talk a little bit about that? Because I think the cinematography is one of the reasons those films are so good.

BAUTISTA: Yeah, he’s amazing, and I love him as a human being. He’s just a lot of fun. He’s one of those people, he’s really intense when he works, he’s definitely focused, but he’s also… I think he’s so talented that you can just break away from it and just take a second, and just have a fun conversation and just talk about nothing. He can step away from his work for a minute and just have a stupid conversation about something funny he saw last night, and I love that about him.

Also, he did The Batman. I mean, the list of what he’s done, it’s phenomenal.

BAUTISTA: Right. The way I see that and the way we put that on a pedestal, and he talks about it like, “Another day at the office.”

I’m curious though, obviously, now you are doing more projects, more acting. Have you already thought about what you’re going to be doing this year? What other films are you possibly getting ready to do?

BAUTISTA: Well I’m definitely gonna do the sequel to My Spy. I know that for sure because we start later next month. So I’m off to South Africa to do that, which I’ve been pushing for a very long time because I love the first film, it was so much fun. So we’re gonna do a sequel to that.

I’m hoping that… I have a project in the works with Drew Pearce again, and we’ve collaborated on this film called The Cooler. It’s basically about this crazy weekend of this guy who’s a bouncer in Miami who is just trying to redeem himself. So it’s that, but it’s kind of an After Hours meets Uncut Gems. So it’s quirky and funny, and suspenseful and thrilling, but also a lot of heart. I really insist on doing stuff that’s got heart at the core of it.

Is it definitely going this year?

BAUTISTA: We hope so. We hope so. Drew’s, you know, he was busy on [Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation], so he was working with that. Now he’s got a few issues that he’s dealing with, but hopefully, he’ll start writing the script soon.

Knock at the Cabin is now in theaters. For more on the film, check out Collider’s interview with M. Night Shyamalan below.