Dave Bautista might not be done with the comic book world after all. When Guardians of the Galaxy was released in 2012, that film catapulted several new names into the spotlight including the former WWE superstar. Since then, Bautista has starred in high-profile films such as Spectre, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Dune, and Blade Runner 2049, but his most notable role to fans is Drax the Destroyer.

In 2023, the journey of Drax the Destroyer officially came to an end. It appeared as if it was Bautista’s final venture into the world of superheroes, but the Guardians of the Galaxy actor just revealed that he’s willing to dive back into that world on one condition:

“When I said that I was done, I was really just done with my journey as Drax,” Bautista said in an interview with Gizmodo. “I still have a relationship with Marvel. I’ve seen Kevin Feige again, Lou [D’Esposito] as recently as two weeks ago. And they know that I would be up for a role. I love the universe — the superhero universe, I love it. I’m a fan. So Marvel or DC, if they call, I would answer the phone. And if the role makes sense, I’d be all over it.”

“I just would like the opportunity to do a bigger role, a different role,” Bautista clarified. “Maybe a deeper role. I’d love to have the opportunity to play, like, an ominous villain in the superhero universe. … I’m not done with it. But my journey with Drax is over.”

There’s been whispers that Bautista could end up in James Gunn‘s universe shortly. However, the wrestler-turned-actor isn’t locked down to anyone just yet. Here are the five villains that would be perfect for Dave Bautista.

Mr. Freeze

It’s been a while since we’ve seen Dr. Victor Fries has been in a live-action film. Sadly, his last adaptation (in a film) was a goofy and poor representation of the complex villain from the comics. Mr. Freeze isn’t a villain for the sake of it, as his arc was mainly about getting the funding and care that his dead wife needed. Dave stated that he wants to play more than just an ordinary brute and he’s proven in films like Blade Runner 2049 and Glass Onion that he can pull off the different layers of Victor Fries (aka Mr. Freeze).

As long as Freeze doesn’t tell ice punts every time he talks, then it should turn out to be a great role in the Batman universe. It wouldn’t be too surprising if another incarnation of Mr. Freeze doesn’t happen anytime soon. Though Mr. Freeze is a fully dimensional character, the current version of Batman is more realistic and grounded. But this villain is too good (if done right) to keep on the sidelines forever.

Bane

There have been plenty of incarnations of Bane at this point: from the silent brute to the dangerous imbecile, the character hasn’t exactly been written the same character from the comics, though The Dark Knight Rises did come close. The issue with that film was Bane wasn’t the main antagonist, so we didn’t get to see much of the complexity that the comics touched on so well. It would be great to let Bane lead (as the villain) a Batman film and finally see him being the intellectual super-criminal that he’s portrayed in the comics. The only drawback is that Bane was originally a Latino character, so Hollywood may be hesitant to race-bend a diverse character again.

Clayface

Clayface wouldn’t be an easy character to translate on-screen visually. However, Clayface does have potential because he feels more like a horror movie villain, which is something that the filmmakers can play into nicely. It would be better if they didn’t go with the original origin story of Basil Karlo being an actor and becoming enraged over not being the lead of a movie role. That reasoning feels cartoonish, though if the film highlights the psychopathic nature of Basil before he goes mad, then it could turn into something compelling. Clayface could work in a way where it doesn’t feel out of place with the current setting of Gotham, but it takes the right filmmaker and actor to pull it off.

Swamp Thing

Swamp Thing is an interesting prospect. He’s usually a hero in the comics, but he’s a reluctant one at that. Gunn hasn’t officially cast an actor to play the iconic DC character, but Swamp Thing is the type to flip-flop between good and evil. His powers are unique and can often be scary. The brief show about the character was a great take on Swamp Thing that made him stand out as something different from the other villains on the DC roster. Swamp Thing would be better served as a villain at the beginning. Then he can transition into an anti-hero as time passes by.

Killer Croc

What I love about Batman villains is that they aren’t as simple as they seem. On the surface, Waylon Jones (aka Killer Croc) seems like your typical monster of the week villain, but there are depths within his characters that are very fascinating. The abuse and prejudice he suffered throughout his life because of his rare mutation helps bring him to be a fully realized character. Killer Croc isn’t evil for the sake of being evil; the world mocked and hurt him for something he cannot change. Killer Croc may not be an A-villain like Joker or Penguin, but his tragic backstory can turn him into something special.