The Best Dave Bautista Movies To Watch Before He Becomes The God Of War

Guardians of the Galaxy was one of Bautista's first big film roles, where he played Drax the Destroyer, a violent and driven character hell-bent on killing the person who murdered his wife and daughter. He was more muscle than brain but still had a heart and relished battle, delivering more than a few hilarious moments.

Compared to Kratos, these stories are similar, minus the humor. Kratos was a man who lost it all and killed in vengeance before trying to settle again. While we may not see these God of War moments from beginning to end, Guardians of the Galaxy gives you an idea of what Kratos might've been like back then.

In Trap House, Bautista plays the leader of a team of DEA agents who try to stop high-profile dealers smuggling drugs across the border. As they do this, their kids often spend time together, but when one agent is killed, they decide to steal from the dealers to help cover the cost of the loss.

Bautista plays a caring but stern father trying to bond with his son but unable to emotionally connect due to the type of job he has. It's not unlike Kratos trying to connect with his son, Atreus, but lacking the soft touch Laufey had with their son before she died.

A sequel to the Ridley Scott classic, Blade Runner 2049 follows a new Blade Runner named K who discovers a powerful secret that leads him down a rabbit hole connecting him to Rick Deckard from the first film. The catalyst for this journey goes back to a Replicant named Sapper Morton, played by Bautista.

Morton is an incredibly resilient recluse who used to see combat as a medic before hiding away. He's strong but knows he doesn't want to return to the horrors he was made for, and it's very similar to how Kratos chose to live a quiet life to avoid the horrors of his past while preserving the future.

Knock at the Cabin is an unsettling thriller in which Dave Bautista leads a group of people who enter the cabin of a family and tell them that one of them must die to stop the end of the world. As the leader, Bautista shows the attitude of a man forced to be the messenger of a terrible truth, and it's easy to sympathize with him.

In a word, Bautista's performance can be described as measured. He's not playing a character on the brink of rage because this family doesn't adhere to their terrible demand. Instead, he plays a man on the brink of a breakdown, and it perfectly shows how Kratos must always hold back the darkness in him to help others face the horrors of the world they know nothing about.

Dune and Dune: Part Two (2024) follow many characters, including Bautista's Glossu "Beast" Rabban, the nephew and enforcer of the villainous Baron Harkonnen, the leader of House Harkonnen. As the Beast, he is known for his rage and loyalty to his family, but is also incredibly violent and genuinely scary.

While God of War won't show Kratos at his worst, the Dune films show how Kratos might have been when he was the Ghost of Sparta, a violent killer in the name of someone greater than himself. It's a darker side ot the character but a necessary one that informs the story Prime Video is telling.

Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender (2026) reintroduced us to the Avatar as adults, as Aang meets a fellow airbender trapped in the ice named Tagah. Tagah (played by Bautista) represents a lot to Aang and also becomes a mentor to him in various techniques, bringing knowledge from centuries before the Avatar became Aang.

Kratos acts like a mentor to his son, Atreus, as well. He's willing to show him what he should and shouldn't do with patience, and it can be enjoyed without fear that he will betray his son in the way Tagah betrayed those who helped him. But to see Bautista as a teacher, this is a film that can't be missed.