Former WWE champion, Evolution member, and Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista (Batista to WWE fans) has signed on to an upcoming Robert De Niro film, Bus 657, which will also feature former women's MMA pioneer Gina Carano. Bautista won rave reviews for his performance as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians, which has surpassed the $600 million mark at the box office worldwide. Kate Bosworth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Watchmen) also star in the upcoming heist flick. In Bus 657, Bautista will portray a co-worker of Morgan who together rip off their casino-owner boss, De Niro. While hijacking a bus load full of hostages, the plan goes awry, and, one assumes, everything goes to hell. According to Deadline, Carano, who had been in serious talks with the UFC for a potential title fight with bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, will be playing a cop in pursuit of the hijacked bus. With the role locked down and others on the horizon, it seems like a return to MMA is off the table for Carano, and Bautista will likely be gone from the WWE for some time, as his Hollywood career continues to take off. It might be a bit of a throwback to Speed, with a more serious tone (think Speed mixed with Heat, perhaps). Lionsgate/Grindhouse will distribute the film, which does not yet have a release date. So, who will be checking this one out when it hits theatres?
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
