Dave Bautista may look like an action star, but he wanted to star in Army of the Dead to work with Zack Snyder and flex his dramatic acting chops. We talked about this and so much more when Screen Rant visited the set of Army of the Dead in October 2019 and had a chance to sit down with Bautista to discuss the zombie heist movie, his career ambitions, and even a little bit of Marvel.

Zack Snyder's return to the zombie genre is making a lot of waves with the inclusion of faster, smarter zombies with an Area 51 origin, the zombie/heist mashup, the Las Vegas setting, and the diverse cast. Playing the role of Scott, Dave Bautista heads up a team of zombie killers hired to enter the Vegas quarantine zone to recover money for the owner of Bly Casino before it's all wiped out by a nuclear bomb.

Related: Everything We Learned on the Set of Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead

Our visit to the set revealed a lot about what to expect from Army of the Dead and with several members of the cast and crew praising Bautista's performance, we were thrilled to sit down with him to hear about his involvement in his own words.

How's it Going?

I'm so tired. I'm sticky. I don't usually smell like that, but I’ve been wearing this s*** for 2 months. It's not the stuff, it's my gear that I have on top of this to fit everything. It's just funky. How are you? It’s gross, right? It’s dusty. Dirty. It’s Always like this, too. It didn't, it just happened. It's not something we did. It's always like this. The casino shut down, did you guys know that? It’s outstanding.

Is that super helpful? To have a location like this?

I guess. I would just as soon have stayed in Albuquerque. I like the desert. I like the heat. Everyone else was melting out there. I was in heaven. I would rather stay there.

What's the experience been like, doing a Zack Snyder zombie film?

Let's just shorten that to say a Zack Snyder film. That's why I signed up for this. Because I wanted to work with Zack. Originally Zack and I had been working on another project I've been trying to get done for the last three years. And it just, for one reason or another, never materialized. And so Zack called me up one day and said… Cuz I knew this film was happening and I talked to him. We're both in CAA, so I had it thrown my way a couple different times and I thought it sounded cool, but it's not just what I thought I was going to be working with Zack on. Anyway, they were doing casting and he called me and said he had written another part they wanted to do and I said okay, I’ll look at the part and I said “can I see the Vanderhoe part” and when it came to casting he said he was trying to think who is Scott was and he said Dave is not Van, David Scott. So he called me up and he said he had talked to Netflix already and made sure they approved and he called and offered me the part. And I took it, but that was why. Because I wanted to work with Zack. I wanted to work with him for years. And it's really just so I can steal all of his s***. I want to steal the stuff. I want to watch him work. It’s just that visually he's great. He's a visual master. I wanted to get in and learn from him and steal his stuff so I can go on and direct my films and take credit for his work. I steal his stuff and then my films look like his films.

What were some of the things you ended up learning from him?

Just kind of camera tricks. I also like that he's very much - I only know this from watching this documentary - but Spielberg was one of those guys who visually was looking around and he'd see something and he'd say “let's shoot it let's shoot it!” And Zack is very much that way because we're shooting all of this stuff, most with natural lighting. They only stick a couple tube lights in here and there and very sparingly but most of it's all natural light. So most of the time he's catching things on the fly. It's weird because it's one of those things where our schedule is constantly changing because of that. It's one of those things you kind of want to be flexible because you want to be a part of that, but also sometimes you can be a little frustrated, but you do what you got to do. It's nice to know what you're doing and when you're doing it, and kind of prepare a little bit better. So it's one of those things you’re just doing a lot of things on the fly and some of those things, especially when you're in the desert and everything is changing in the lights were changing and you go on to something else and you come back the next day it's a little frustrating sometimes. That and also the way, a lot of his focus tricks are really really unusual. Really unusual. But it made for a really interesting look. An interesting look on the characters, but also a really interesting look on the background. So a lot of times it's because the way he shooting the background will almost become one of the characters and it feels like it's another person. It feels like it's alive. So learn little tricks in there. It's interesting. It's an artistic way to look at zombie films. It's different.

Is that stuff that keeps everyone clued in on, or you specifically trying to shadow?

Oh no, I'm totally looking over his shoulder. Haha. No, I think he's very open if you talk to him about it, but I think sometimes he's just making it up as he goes, too. It's an artistic thing. That's what's great about it. I like that he’s picking up the camera and being an artist. Sometimes I think he can even lose sight of the performance because he's so focused on the visuals cuz he's creating things visually. So it's a really interesting process. Cuz we've, the actors, we've really kind of relied on each other every once and a while. Because I think Zack sometimes gets so focused on what he's shooting that we're, you know, as performers were concerned about our performances. When I look into the camera and we're not seeing the big picture, we're just seeing our performances, and sometimes Zack is so focused on everything else that once in a while we relied on each other for performances.

With Scott, there's obviously a father-daughter story. I guess it's a little unusual for a big crazy zombie film.

There's so many different things in this film. There's so many different layers to this film. There's a lot of relationship things. It’s a lot of heartbreak, but also, this film is a lot more political than people think it is. I'll just spell it out right now. I don't know if you guys are watching the news playing on the monitors over there. It's very political. And it makes it relevant. I think most people just see it as a zombie heist and that's what it is, but some people who pick it apart will find some political relevance to it as well.

From your perspective, has there been more freedom to explore that angle with this being a Netflix movie as opposed to a big studio project?

No, it feels like a big Studio project to me. I think there's been a lot of flexibility as far as performance for what I think, you know, I sat down with Zack a few times where I kind of disagreed with what was in the script and he's explained to me why he thought strongly that it be some ways was and at the end of the day he's the director and I have to agree with them. But there has been a few things where I thought to me it could have gone different routes and I think he's got a vision in his head and a message in his head and he's the boss.

I remember, this is a long time ago, but I was watching you on TV and Eddie Guerrero called you “Bautista” instead of “Batista,” and that meant a lot to me. I think I made a lot of Filipinos across the country. To Filipino Americans now you're Dave Bautista all the time and starring in the biggest movies on the planet. What does it mean to you to kind of be our guy, kind of the first one to do it on this level?

It's weird. So funny you should say that because I've been getting ready, I have my ink guy on my calendar, I have two Philippines flags right now, but I’m getting ready to get the stars front-and-center really big on my chest. It speaks to where my pride is as far as being a Filipino. I'm half Filipino, but I grew up with my father's side of the family and that’s the blood I know. I've never been embraced like I was when I went to the Philippines. Filipinos have embraced me and that means a lot to me because I want to be embraced and I want to represent something. I want to inspire people. So it means a lot to me. Sometimes I lose track of that but every once in a while I'm reminded.

You've been lucky to work with some great directors and filmmakers. Is that what's driving your decisions is most of the time?

I don't know if it's driving my decisions, but I think it's definitely by choice. It's weird. Zoe Saldana, early in my career, She said to be picky and very careful about the directors that I work with that's always been in the back of my head. I have a list of directors I want to work with and some that aren't on my list but when they come my way the first thing I do is I want to know what they've done and see what they've done and I go back and watch it and see how they direct and how the performances are. Performance is a huge deal to me. And also, if they're a good storyteller I think sometimes, you know, performance is going to be great. There's a lot of films, I think the superhero films or performances are great and visually they're great, but somewhere along the line they lost track of the story and it just goes to s***. So that’s something I keep in the back of my mind, definitely. I've worked with some of the best directors in the world because I want to be a director. I want to learn. I'm a student of this.

You're talking about Zack sort of giving feedback as you go and letting performances go, versus I know you work with James Gunn who is also very interactive with you guys on set. How did the two of them compare as directors on set?

I think that James is much more involved with our performance. I think I have a lot more flexibility with Zack. James is a control freak. Have you guys met him? Have you talked to him? He's very much a control freak. Which I don't mind, he's a great director, like he's a brilliant director and he’s a brilliant storyteller. So I'm okay to get myself over like that because I trust him. Zack just seems to be willing to give you much more freedom and flexibility and you know when he's happy with something because he'll say cut a certain way. Or he’ll just, you can see it when he doesn't. He doesn't give you a whole lot of emotion. You'll just look at him and he'll shake his head and you can tell when he's happy or something. Every once in a while I feel self-conscious. I always care about my performance, so sometimes I’ll go to ask him what he thinks and he’ll just turn to you and go “it’s perfect.”

But sometimes that I've seen with James Gunn, I was giving this performance once and he was, I think, upset, not because of my performance, but he was upset with where my eyes were. He told me to pick a spot and focus on it and don't move my eyes. And also directors like Denis. Denis has a vision and doesn’t want you to stray from it, which is very helpful for me because he brought out some performances in me that I didn't think I was capable of because of his directing me to go a certain way. Like my small role in Blade Runner. I show up to do that role a certain way, and when I got there I realized it was all wrong because he had me do everything different down to the way I walked. I got so much love for that small little role and I have to give credit to him because of the way he directed me to perform. I like to find these guys who're just really good at one thing. Not good at just one thing, but passionate about certain things and just kind of draw from and learn from them.

It seems like you've made some pretty calculated moves as far as the roles you've taken in your movie career and you thought about it pretty deeply and there's a lot of variety there. As far as the next few years. What are you looking to do that you haven’t done yet?

Television. Yeah, I want to do a television series. I kind of want to check that box. I really want to do… there's a project I was pursuing for a long time and just struggling to get it done, so I'm looking at other projects right now, but I do want to do a television project. I think I have my bigger projects lined up. I'm not sure I'm allowed to talk about them. But I have my bigger projects lined up as well as some smaller things. I want to step back and do some independent stuff, which is also a struggle for me because I look like an action hero, which a lot of times the deep, dramatic indie films don't want to cast me. I get it, my look is distracting, but at the same time those are the performances I prefer. So hopefully more Indies. Dramatic Indies. And then a television series.

Why TV?

Well, there's a few different reasons. I think that TV is a really great way to learn because of the pace that they work at. I also think that... I always think this way but I wanted the build myself as an actor over the course of my career and I think that TV and putting your face out there every week build your career and it makes you a valuable name, but I also want a challenge of just moving like that and just moving like that constantly. And what you give them, because you only got a few chances to get these takes, and what do you give them is what you're stuck with. That's your performance. And that's the reason I took a role in a film called Bushwick. There were long long takes in it and that was really a challenge for me at the time because the performance I gave on that take was the performance I was stuck with and I wanted that challenge because I wanted to be better. So that's it. I want a challenge, and I want to get my face out there weekly. I want to build my career.

Find a showrunner you trust in.

Yeah. We're talking about one now. Which I'm very interested in, but I'm not quite sure on because it’s a six-month commitment and I'll be 51 when I do it, so it's giving up six months so it's got to make sense.

Well, you look 30.

Well, thank you. I have so much makeup on.

You mentioned wanting to do directing. Is there a specific genre or type of film that you'd want to do?

I've just always leaned towards drama. Yeah, I just like drama. I've got a couple ideas of my own I'd like to get done, but it all goes back to being valuable. If you’re a valuable name, people listen. When you walk in the room people listen. So that's all, I'm just trying to do that. I'm just trying to build myself as an actor So people will pay attention, so the studios will listen. If you make them money they are willing to listen.

If you did direct, would you want to do writing as well, or collaborate?

I would definitely collaborate. I'm not that person. I can give you an outline for a story, but for me to sit down and write out a whole conversation it would take forever, and I overanalyze everything and it would never be right. I would rather sit down and collaborate and give someone else a storyline and say “I want to tell this story: first act, second act, third act. I know what I want this to be. I know how I want to end it. Now that's it, write this.” I'd rather sit down with a qualified writer and someone who is educated and doing this. Someone who's already proven. That would be my preference.

You mentioned that you look like an action hero. So for a movie like this, is this like, do you just show up and put on the gear and you're good to go, or do you have to do some training?

I showed up on set and grabbed the gear and was good to go, haha.

Because you look action-ready. Like you know what to do. Is that pretty standard?

And that's what I mean. If Zack wasn't directing this film, to be honest with you, I probably wouldn't have taken it. I would have passed. I've probably passed up a hundred movies along this vein. I'd say “another action guy? I could care less.” But because Zack was directing I said “hell yes I'm there.” But yeah, I showed up and I was ready.

Well, kind of building off of that, I think kind of a lost art with acting in modern times is telling a story with your body. Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Jackie Chan, but you kind of showed up to this industry being very used to telling us stories with your body. Has that been an asset to you?

No, because I tried to go the other route. Because I try not to. Like, The Rock is a perfect example of someone who uses that strength. So I wanted to go against the grain and make everything much smaller. Very subtle. I make a living off of subtlety. I want that to be my strength. I want that to be what separates us. I don't want to be that big guy that walks in the room, I never wanted to be that guy.

Specifically you and The Rock?

No, I don't mean that as a dig on him, but you know how he is as a character. He feels very “professional wrestler” to me. Like, I don't want to be that guy. I want to be an actor. I want to ask, I want people to judge me for my acting and my subtlety. I want to take roles that require that. I don't want to be a big action guy who just says cool s*** and kills a lot of people and gets the girl. I don’t want to be that guy. I want to be the guy who makes people cry. Who makes people think. Who inspires people. I want to be a dramatic actor. I just love that. I love acting.

Theo was raving about your performance in our interview with him. He said it was very unexpected.

So did you get the chance to kind of flex that a little bit?

I think so. Yeah, there's some pretty emotional beats in this film. I've gotten to flex a little bit. There's some cool action stuff to where I just kill zombies. Which is also cool for me too because, again, it goes back to me being the guy that they expect me to be, but also being the guy they haven't really seen me be. I haven't really done a whole lot of action stuff if you think about it. Even in the Marvel stuff I'm not really known for my action. In Marvel I'm known for saying dumb s***. You know. So, yeah, I think it's kind of cool.

In the concept art there was a picture of you up with the military gear and there was also a picture of you with a white cap and an apron on. Can you talk about that?

So my American dream that I've lost is I had a food truck. That was my dream. I just wanted to be my own boss and have a family and then when the zombie outbreak happened it all went to hell. So after he contains the zombie outbreak I lost everything, including my family, and I was working as a short-order cook in a crappy little burger joint.

So that Taco truck from the concept art yours, then?

That is my taco truck. That is my American Dream. My dream now is to have another truck or another restaurant or something and just go back to where my life was.

You mentioned you wanted to direct to become a filmmaker. You were very outspoken when James Gunn was taken off of Guardians 3. Now that he's back, what's your reaction to that?

Obviously I'm happy. I'm ecstatic. But also I think it's a big statement for Disney to go back on their decision. I think that's a huge statement. It’s a very political statement. Also because it's not something they needed to do. Not at that point. But they basically step back and do the right thing and I think that was a huge statement. So I’m very proud of Disney. I'm sure that wasn't easy for them because they're basically admitting and walking back they made a mistake and that it was wrong, but also what that statement says goes a long way. So hopefully that'll stop, I don't know if it'll stop, but it'll deter people from making rash decisions that way and see things and attacks like that for what they are. Because that's all it was, really. It was really political. It was a political attack. It was a rash decision. It was a bad decision. And you gave a lot of power to some really horrible people, so I think for them to go back, when they didn't have to at that point, I'm very proud.

Could you scratch that TV itch by staying in the Marvel World? They've been doing a lot of Disney Plus streaming.

Yeah, I was almost shocked. I almost got on my Twitter for a second and started to bash them for not making one Guardians character for TV. How does that happen? There's so many interesting characters in that world. I just don't get it. And then I thought, “you know I don't know what they have in mind. I don't know what they have planned.” I guess they took all their marquee characters and gave them shows and people were excited, so I don't want to take away from that Just because I'm bitter that nobody from our series did. And if they offered me a series I wouldn't do it. Not a chance in hell would I do a TV series playing Drax. That’s is a makeup nightmare. I would be miserable. That makeup is not fun. It's awful stuff I didn't sign up for. Doing a TV series and that makeup is not something I signed up for.

Were you disappointed that Drax didn't get to take his vengeance on Thanos personally?

I think everyone was. I said in an interview somewhere where I said “yeah, I think it Drax should get to kill Thanos.” And all those people said “that doesn't even make sense! How can you say that? Drax doesn't deserve to kill Thanos!” And I said “I said it because there's not a character in the Marvel universe that didn't want to kill Thanos.” Of course Drax wanted to kill Thanos. Everyone wanted to kill Thanos. So yeah, I'm a little disappointed. Because I take that whole storyline very personal. But yeah, I think every character wanted to get their hands on Thanos. But I do, I have to say, I love Josh Brolin to death. He's one of my favorite people and he's by far one of my favorite actors. I love him. He's such a brilliant actor. He's overlooked way too much.

Next: Army Of The Dead Trailer Breakdown: 31 Story Reveals & Secrets

Key Release Dates

  • EN-US_AOTD_MAIN_Slots_Vertical_RGB_EN-US_Theatrical
    Army of the Dead
    Release Date:
    2021-05-21