Oscars Night: Former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista's Movie Dune: Part 2 Wins Two Academy Awards

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Mar 3, 2025, 19:00 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Dave Bautista, who transitioned from wrestling to acting, starred in Dune: Part 2 which won 2 Oscars for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound at the 97th Academy Awards. Despite his notable role in the film, Bautista's character will not return for Dune: Part 3. He is eagerly eyeing a role in Netflix's Gears of War adaptation.

Oscars Night: Former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista's Movie Dune: Part 2 Wins Two Academy Awards

Dave Bautista in Dune Movie (via Warner Bros. Pictures)

Dave Bautista, one of the biggest names in the world of wrestling, left the ring behind in 2019 to take a chance in Hollywood. And it has paid off amazingly. From his Marvel stint to his rumored future in the DC Universe, Bautista has made the silver screen his home. Last year, he was part of one of the biggest movies of the year - Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part 2, which was nominated for multiple Oscars this year. And with the Oscars night over and done with, Dune walked out with two awards in the bag.

Former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista's Dune: Part 2 won two Oscars this year

Dune: Part 2 starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, and Florence Pugh in the lead, was a huge hit in 2024, with people admiring the movie for its storytelling, performance, cinematography, and visuals. For the 97th Academy Awards, Dune 2 was nominated for 5 Oscars, out of which the movie has managed to win 2. Last time back in 2022, for Dune: Part One, the movie won in 6 out of the 10 categories it was nominated in.

This year, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, Gerd Nefzer, and Paul Lambert won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. While Richard King, Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill, and Gareth John took it home for Best Sound. The Dave Bautista movie was also nominated in the categories of Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design, but lost out on those categories.

Will Dave Bautista return for Dune: Part 3?

Dave Bautista played the character of Rabban, nephew to Baron Vladimir Harkonnen - one of the main antagonists in Dune. The violent and brutish "Beast" worked for his uncle, but was killed at the end of Dune: Part 2 by his rival, Gurney Halleck, played by Josh Brolin. So unfortunately for the former WWE star's fans, he will not be returning for the third part of the franchise.

Dave Bautista Wants Gears of War Movie! #gearsofwar #davebautista #gearsofwars

But he is beyond ready for his upcoming projects - including one he is not even a part of yet, but would very much like to be. The Netflix adaptation of the game, Gears of War, was announced back in 2022. Since then, Bautista has been campaigning to get cast in the movie, and fans are all for it. After his Oscar-winning movies Dune: Part 1 & 2, this could be his next big challenge. Fingers crossed!
Also Read: Former WWE Star Dave Bautista Announced as a Presenter Alongside Other Hollywood Big Shots for the Academy Awards 2025

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article