The first Knives Out boasted a stellar ensemble cast made up of a who's who of various Hollywood legends, with many left wondering how the upcoming sequel could possibly match it. Well, the ensemble of Knives Out 2 is already shaping up nicely, with new recruit Dave Bautista recently admitting to feeling nervous about adding his name to a project with such a quality cast list.

"It feels terrifying. I'm nervous about it. I'm really nervous. It's one of those things where now the pressure's on, because people are expecting things from you. I want to deliver. I take pride in that. I'm a game player. I want to throw a touchdown pass. I know the script is brilliant, I know the director is brilliant, and I know everybody that they're going to cast - obviously Daniel [Craig] is there, he's brilliant, and I believe Ed Norton's been cast as well. So the names are going to get bigger and better, and for me, I can't get it out of my head that - there's always going to be a part of me that feels like I'm new to this and I'm still learning, and I want to be able to hold my own."

"So there is a bit of an intimidation factor, because all these actors and directors are just accomplished and seasoned and award-winners. But at the end of the day, this is how I gauge my career, the people I'm working with. The projects that I'm on, the directors that I work with. So I know being announced as part of this cast is a huge statement, because the first film crushed."

So far, Dave Bautista will indeed be joined by Oscar nominee Edward Norton, along with Hidden Figures star Janelle Monáe, whose involvement was recently announced. No doubt all three of them will fall under the suspicion of Daniel Craig's top-notch private investigator Benoit Blanc.

If someone of Dave Bautista's stature can be intimated by the Knives Out 2 cast, then it must be hugely impressive, which, it turns out, is something that has given the Guardians of the Galaxy star a feeling of validation. Bautista has expressed his desire to be considered an actor first rather than a wrestler-turned-actor, and his inclusion in Knives Out 2 signifies that he is on the right track.

"Like you said, the cast was a who's who, and I like being in that conversation, man. It's just validation. This is why I was in this. I still aspire to be a great actor, and I don't know if I can get there unless I get those roles that require me to be a great actor. So again, I'm just kind of stepping the ladder, but it's very validating to get a role like this in a film like this."

Set to once again be written and directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out 2 is best thought of as the continuing adventures of Daniel Craig's world-famous private detective, Benoit Blanc. "I'm actually writing another Knives Out. It's been such a mindf**k, because I sat on the idea for the first one for 10 years. And with this one, I'm starting with a blank page," Johnson said of the project last year. "It's not really a Knives Out sequel. I need to come up with a title for it so I can stop calling it The Knives Out Sequel because it's just Daniel Craig as the same detective with a totally new cast."

Knives Out 2 does not yet have a release date but will be distributed by Netflix. This comes to us from Slash Film.