Dave Bautista threatens to quit 'Guardians of the Galaxy'

Drax, as played by Dave Bautista.

THERE AREN'T a whole lot of roles for muscle-bound Filipinos in Hollywood, But, Filipino American actor Dave Bautista is willing to give up his iconic role to support a friend.

Bautista, who plays the wise-cracking alien Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, is threatening to quit the third movie of the franchise if director-writer James Gunn isn't reinstated.

Gunn was fired by Disney Studios three months ago because of some unfunny jokes and comments he made 10 years ago about pedophilia and rape, not exactly what Disney wants to be associated with.

Of all the cast, Bautista has been the most outspoken. “To be honest with you, I don’t know if I want to work for Disney,” Bautista said on the The Jonathan Ross Show

“There’s a bit of an issue," said Bautista. "It’s a bittersweet conversation. No, it’s a bitter, bitter conversation because I’m not really happy with what they’ve done with James Gunn. They’re putting the movie off. It’s on hold indefinitely.”

“Where I’m at right now is that if [Marvel] don’t use that script, then I’m going to ask them to release me from my contract, cut me out or recast me,” Bautista told Indiewire. “I’d be doing James a disservice if I didn’t.”

Bautista previously wrote on Twitter that he would only be reprising the role of Drax the Destroying in “Vol. 3″ because of his contract obligation. “I will do what I’m legally obligated to do, but ‘Guardians’ without James Gunn is not what I signed up for,” Bautista said. “‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ without James Gunn just isn’t Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Before Bautista posted his tweet, the key cast members released a joint letter penned and signed by each cast member after carefully thinking about their words.

In the letter they write, “We fully support James Gunn. We were all shocked by his abrupt firing last week and have intentionally waited these ten days to respond in order to think, pray, listen, and discuss. In that time, we’ve been encouraged by the outpouring of support from fans and members of the media who wish to see James reinstated as director of ‘Volume 3’ as well as discouraged by those so easily duped into believing the many outlandish conspiracy theories surrounding him.”

“It’s also pretty nauseating to work for someone who’d empower a smear campaign by fascist cybernazis,” Bautista added in his Indiewire interview, referring to the alt-right trollers who dug up Gunn's offensive comments in retaliation to his anti-Trump comments on social media.

As for Gunn, he's pretty remorseful for his lack of judgement.

“My words of nearly a decade ago were, at the time, totally failed and unfortunate efforts to be provocative,” Gunn said in a statement. “I have regretted them for many years since — not just because they were stupid, not at all funny, wildly insensitive, and certainly not provocative like I had hoped, but also because they don’t reflect the person I am today or have been for some time.”

He continued, “Regardless of how much time has passed, I understand and accept the business decisions taken today. Even these many years later, I take full responsibility for the way I conducted myself then. All I can do now, beyond offering my sincere and heartfelt regret, is to be the best human being I can be: accepting, understanding, committed to equality, and far more thoughtful about my public statements and my obligations to our public discourse. To everyone inside my industry and beyond, I again offer my deepest apologies. Love to all.”

“I’ve been very vocal about the way I feel," said the former professional wrestler. "I’m not afraid to admit the way I feel … I don’t think I’m your typical Hollywood guy.”

_______________________________________________________________________________