Dave Bautista may be best known for playing the literal-minded Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but the former WWE star has been quietly building an eclectic resume beyond the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While his future with Marvel remains uncertain—he's not currently attached to Avengers: Doomsday—Bautista has a new streaming hit on his hands that's turning heads.
That project is Afterburn, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi Western from Amazon MGM Studios that pairs Bautista with Samuel L. Jackson. Released in September 2025, the film was envisioned as a gritty, Mad Max-style thrill ride set in a desolate future. But when it hit theaters, it barely made a dent, earning only a few million dollars against a reported $60 million budget. Critics and audiences alike seemed to shrug it off.
Fast-forward to June 2026, and Afterburn has found an unexpected second life. The movie is currently one of the ten most-streamed titles on MGM+, proving that sometimes a theatrical flop can become a streaming sensation. It's a classic case of a film finding its audience after the initial release—a phenomenon that's become increasingly common in the age of streaming.
Bautista, who has openly expressed interest in returning to the superhero world in a new role, told interviewers, “I do wanna be in that world, I’m a fan of that world, I’m a fan of comic books and the whole universe. Marvel, DC, I just wanna be in it. I made that known to James [Gunn], I made that known to the Russo brothers. Personally, I talked to them, all of them, and told them, ‘Don’t count me out. If there’s a character that I’d be right for and that you want me for, man, I’d be totally open-minded to it.’” He added that Drax's story has “ran its course.”
For fans who can't get enough of Bautista's action chops, Afterburn offers a gritty, high-octane ride that blends elements of Fallout and Mad Max. The film follows a group of survivors navigating a lawless wasteland, with Bautista playing a hardened warrior and Jackson bringing his trademark intensity as a grizzled mentor figure. While it didn't set the box office on fire, the movie's streaming success suggests that audiences are hungry for more of this kind of genre fare.
Bautista's other recent project, the crime thriller The Wrecking Crew (also starring Jason Momoa), quietly became a hit on Prime Video, further cementing his status as a reliable draw for streaming audiences. If you're looking for a pulse-pounding thriller to binge, Afterburn might just scratch that itch. For more recommendations, check out our list of the best thriller movies that defined a generation.
Whether or not Bautista returns to the MCU, his post-Drax career is proving to be anything but predictable. Afterburn may have been a box office misfire, but on MGM+, it's a certified hit.
