Marvel Studios’ next streaming series, What If…?, is just around the corner now. An animated anthology show, it’s set to have a bigger number of MCU stars involved than even Avengers: Endgame. As per a recently released list, over 50 familiar faces, or voices, from the franchise will turn up across the 10 episodes that make up its first season. But there are a few fan favorites notable for their absence.
We know not to expect the likes of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans in What If…?, but that adds up given the duo saying goodbye to the MCU in Endgame. Dave Bautista has now confirmed that we won’t be hearing him play Drax again in the show either – and there’s a surprising reason for that. One fan asked the Guardians of the Galaxy star why, attaching a screenshot from the trailer, which reminds us Drax is definitely in it.
“Let’s start with I was never asked,” Bautista responded. Fans were shocked by the admission – as was Guardians director James Gunn, who echoed all our thoughts with his one-word reply: “What”.
Going by that lengthy 50+ cast list, it seemed like producers just reached out to as many Marvel actors as possible, and only when they couldn’t get them did they resort to recasting. In this case, though, they apparently didn’t bother to ask Bautista to come back as Drax, despite the character appearing in one episode – episode 2, the one where Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa becomes Star-Lord.
Bautista has made it clear that he intends to say goodbye to Drax after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but from his brief tweet, it sounds like he would’ve been open to voicing him in What If…? if he had been given the chance. Maybe he can turn up in the already confirmed second season instead.
What If…? premieres on Disney Plus from Wednesday, August 11th.