Is Drax the Destroyer living on borrowed time?
That’s the latest Marvel-related theory ricocheting off the walls of the Internet, and it can all be traced back to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. In its latest edition, the outlet suggests that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may signal the end of Drax’s tenure in the MCU, as Dave Bautista is alleging mulling over a return to WWE.
The Marvel hero initially quit wrestling back in 2014, just in time to climb aboard James Gunn’s space oddity as the loveable Drax. Three years later, and Bautista’s hulking warrior has become a bona fide fan-favorite, and will soon reprise that cosmic role thanks to Avengers: Infinity War.
And after that? Well, if Dave Bautista really is serious about another spell in the ring – and word is he’s eyeing a full-time schedule replete with TV matches and non-televised wrestling events – then it’s unlikely the actor will have much of a role in Marvel’s Phase 4.
Chalk this up as conjecture for now, as The Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s report is yet to be verified, but if Bautista’s heart lies in the ring, then we can’t exactly begrudge his decision to leave the MCU behind. Filming on Infinity War has all but wrapped, while the production of Avengers 4 looks set to continue well into January, so even if these allegations are true, you needn’t worry about losing Drax to Thanos.
It’s when we arrive at Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that things begin to get tricky. The James Gunn threequel has been tentatively earmarked for a release in 2020, so there’s still time for Gunn and Marvel to shuffle things around in order to accommodate Bautista. But perhaps a return to WWE will allow Drax to go out on a high? We’ll find out soon.