Dave Bautista is stacking up more big-screen action.
According to Deadline, the former WWE Star turned Hollywood star is in talks for two major Amazon MGM Studios projects — both revivals of iconic film franchises.
First up: Bautista is expected to star opposite Henry Cavill in Chad Stahelski’s upcoming reboot of Highlander. Word is he’s being tapped to play the Kurgan — the iconic villain role originally portrayed by Clancy Brown in the 1986 cult classic that also featured Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert.
But that’s not all. Bautista is also circling Road House 2, the follow-up to last year’s Jake Gyllenhaal-led reboot of the ‘80s barroom brawler flick. Gyllenhaal is back as ex-UFC fighter Dalton, and the sequel comes from a script by Will Beall (Bad Boys: Ride or Die).
Production on Road House 2 is being handled by Charles Roven and Alex Gartner of Atlas Entertainment, alongside Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories Productions. Ivan Atkinson and Josh McLaughlin are on board as executive producers. As previously reported, Guy Ritchie is no longer directing the project — that role has now gone to Nobody’s Ilya Naishuller.
Bautista’s upcoming schedule is looking packed, and he’s clearly not done adding serious weight to genre franchises. Repped by WME and Jackoway Austen Tyerman, the former Animal continues proving he’s one of the most versatile stars in the game.
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