Director M. Night Shyamalan cannot praise Knock at the Cabin star Dave Bautista enough, calling his performance in the upcoming horror movie “one of the best performances of the year.” Shyamalan regaled Comicbook.com with the details of a conversation he had had with his friends regarding Bautista, with the director’s dinner companions not believing that the former wrestler could really be that good. Well, according to Shyamalan, he absolutely is.
"Bautista is – well 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.' Right guy. Right role. Right moment in his life. He just did what you hope all actors will do for you, which is he just 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. Just a lovely moment."
Based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, Knock at the Cabin begins with a family heading off on a vacation at a remote cabin. Not long after their arrival, the young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse.
The footage from Knock at the Cabin certainly teases a change of pace for the Guardians of the Galaxy star, with his hulking frame hiding a tortured man who truly believes he is doing the right thing. Based on Shyamalan's words, it sounds like Knock at the Cabin, and Bautista's performance in it, will be a clear 2023 highlight.
Dave Bautista Wants to Move Towards More Dramatic Roles in Future
His role in Knock at the Cabin is likely to be the first major step towards more dramatic roles for Dave Bautista. The actor, who is currently best known for starring as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, has now confirmed that the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be his final appearance in the MCU. And he cannot wait to leave the silliness behind and continue to carve out his acting legacy.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him,” Bautista said of his last appearance as Drax. “But there’s a relief [that it’s over]. It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
Bautista has often spoken of his desire to hone his craft, with roles in the likes of Blade Runner 2049 and Dune already demonstrating his talents. Becoming a well-respected actor is clearly important to the former wrestler, who recently stated that he does not want anything less than to be seen as the next The Rock. “I never wanted to be the next Rock,” he said. “I just want to be a good f**king actor. A respected actor.”
Dave Bautista can currently be seen as part of the stellar ensemble cast of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which is now available to stream courtesy of Netflix.