We’re barely into 2017, but some of the biggest, most anticipated movies ever to come out of the comic book sub-genre are more than a year away from release. I’m talking, of course, aboutJoeandAnthony Russo’s 2018Avengers: Infinity Warand its currently untitled follow-up film due out in 2019. You can officially mark your calendars because the first of these two epic superhero team-up movies has just started filming in Atlanta!
We confirmed as much with Marvel starDave Bautista, who stars as Drax the Destroyer in both ofJames Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxymovies, and will most assuredly be appearing alongside 63 other comic book characters whenInfinity Warhits theaters like an asteroid on July 11, 2025. Our ownSteve Weintraubgot a chance to sit down with Bautista for his leading role inBushwick, which enjoyed its Sundance premiere over the weekend. While the conversation also turned to updates onBlade Runner 2049andGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we’ve brought you his updates on the state ofAvengers: Infinity Warbelow:
While he was careful not to overstep the bounds set by Marvel’s movie marketing schedule, you can put money on Bautista showing up inInfinity War:
Collider: I believe everyone is going to be in Atlanta at some point in 2017. How bad is your schedule?
Dave Bautista: It’s really bad. [laughs] Yeah, not to confirm nor deny anything.
This is what I know: There are like 64 characters in theAvengerssequels. Everyone’s making a big deal when someone confirms when they’re in it; I think it’s a big deal when someone’snotin it.
Bautista: I don’t think anybody who is a current character isnotgoing to be inInfinity War. [laughs] That’s just my opinion. I haven’t gotten confirmation on who all is going to be in the film, but I think that they’re really going to go all-out on this.
Bautista also supported the idea that there’s almost no way to get all of those actors on set for a day of filming at the same time, so you can fully expect some filmmaking magic at play to pull that off:
I’m curious to see whether they have everybody filming together for one day or, because of schedules, some people are filmed together through the magic of CG.
Bautista: I think they’re going to have to because to bring in that many people who are just so busy, it’s got to be a logistics nightmare. So when they say that there’s something that’s delayed, I don’t even ask because I totally get it. I can totally just empathize with them. I can’t imagine that this is an easy task.
That difficult task in concept is now a reality sinceAvengers: Infinity Waris filming now, says Bautista:
I also heard that they’re filming either now or next month, and then it goes for like 11 months.
Bautista: They start filming Monday.
The Russos themselves confirmed this fact on theirFacebookpage:
Bautista will likely have one eye on the IMAX cameras wielded by the Russos; he plans to soak up as much experience from the filmmakers that he can since he has big plans for his own movie career that include the ultimate achievement: directing.
I’ve spoken to the Russos and they’re filming both movies, at the same time, on IMAX … They’re only using IMAX cameras.
Bautista: Right.
Have you ever worked with all IMAX cameras the whole time?
Bautista: No.
Is that something you’re excited about?
Bautista: Excited, just because I would like to experience it and learn that process and what the differences are. I haven’t really paid a whole lot of attention to all the technical part of filmmaking, it’s more the performance part and the directorial stuff. At the end of my career, once it’s all said and done, my ultimate goal is to direct something. I pay more attention to that. The technical aspect is a little bit over my head at this point. Curiosity, you know, I’d like to know how everything works, I’d like to know how the machine works.
Now, with so many Marvel characters on screen inInfinity War, there’s all sorts of opportunities for fun mash-ups and shared scenes. Take a guess on who Bautista wants to share the screen with.
Is there a character in the Marvel universe that you’ve always wanted to be in a scene with?
Bautista: Oh yeah, for sure. I’ve said all along, I want to work with RDJ, man. I want to work with Robert Downey Jr. He’s Iron Man. He’s Tony Stark, man. He’s the guy! If I had to narrow down my favorite Marvel film:Iron Man. My favorite, I love it. That movie made me a fan of Iron Man, because up until then I really wasn’t. Batman and Aquaman were my guys growing up, oddly enough. It just made me a fan and I started watching from then on and all the Marvel movies, it’s just got the golden touch. They’ve really got their finger on the pulse.
Look for Steve’s full interview with Dave Bautista tomorrow.
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