Knives Out 2 Casts Dave Bautista To Join Daniel Craig

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Knives Out 2 casts Dave Bautista to join Daniel Craig in the upcoming sequel. After the original Knives Out became one of the biggest critical and commercial hits of 2019, it didn't take long for a followup to come into fruition. Initially, the project was set up at Lionsgate, but more recently it was revealed Netflix secured the rights to two Knives Out sequels in a whopping $450 million deal. Writer/director Rian Johnson will have complete creative control teaming up with the streamer, and production on Knives Out 2 is set to begin this summer.

The only returning cast member from the first Knives Out will be Craig as Benoit Blanc, as the sequel sees the detective unravel an all-new mystery surrounded by a fresh cast of supporting characters. In addition to Johnson's clever screenplay, the star-studded Knives Out ensemble was a big reason why the original movie was such a success, leaving viewers to wonder who would be joining Craig for this outing. Now, the first big piece of new Knives Out 2 casting news is revealed.

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According to Deadline, Dave Bautista has signed on to star in Knives Out 2. Details about his character are currently being kept under wraps.

Best known for playing Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Bautista has taken on a variety of projects over the past handful of years, ranging from comedies (Stuber) to sci-fi dramas (Blade Runner 2049, Dune). He can next be seen in Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, which is also releasing on Netflix. Recently, Bautista mentioned one of the reasons why he wanted to star in Army of the Dead (as opposed to reuniting with James Gunn for The Suicide Squad) was to establish a relationship with Netflix, and that's already paying off. Knives Out 2 is undoubtedly one of the highest-profile projects Netflix has coming through the pipeline, making this a major role for Bautista. It will be exciting to see what he brings to the table, since he's become a fan-favorite following Guardians of the Galaxy.

Even looking at Bautista's past filmography, it's difficult to pin down who he could be playing in Knives Out 2. One of Johnson's calling cards as a filmmaker (for better or worse) is subverting audience expectations. In the original Knives Out, Chris Evans played against type as a smarmy, spoiled grandson. Bautista's Drax is a comic relief character in the MCU, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll portray a humorous figure in Knives Out 2. He could be interested in expanding his horizons as a performer, and challenging himself with a meaty role in a new Johnson film would be a great way to do that. No matter who he's playing in Knives Out 2, he'll likely be a great asset to the movie.