‘Universe’s Most Wanted’: Dave Bautista to Produce, Star in Sci-Fi Fantasy Film!!

In news that should excite fans of Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel hero Dave Bautista has signed on to produce and star in the irreverent sci-fi fantasy movie Universe’s Most Wanted from director Brad Peyton (San Andreas, Rampage).

F. Scott Frazier and Jimmy Loweree wrote the script, which takes place in a small town that’s in for a big surprise — and a fight for the world’s survival — when a spaceship carrying the universe’s most wanted and dangerous criminals crash-lands in their backyard. The sheriff’s son soon becomes a hero when he finds himself helping an intergalactic peacekeeper (Bautista) to keep the ragtag group of alien prisoners from escaping and taking over the world.

Peyton will direct and produce the big-budget film under his ASAP Entertainment banner along with Jeff Fierson, while Bautista will produce via his company Dream Bros Entertainment along with Jonathan Meisner. Production is slated to start in the spring, and Stuart Ford‘s AGC Studios and CAA Media Finance will launch worldwide sales in the coming weeks.

“Jeff and I are incredibly excited to be teaming up with Dave, Jonathan and AGC on this project. Scott and Jimmy are terrific writers and have conceived of the perfect sci-fi tentpole that fits perfectly into ASAP’s brand and my directing sensibilities,” said Peyton, whose films have grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to get going on Universe’s Most Wanted! This is the type of fun, mysterious and irreverent adventure we all need right now.”

AGC’s upcoming movies include Tate Taylor’s comedy Breaking News in Yuba County starring Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Regina Hall and Awkwafina, as well as Neil Burger‘s sci-fi thriller Voyagers starring Tye Sheridan, Lily-Rose Depp, Fionn Whitehead and Colin Farrell. The company just wrapped Doug Liman‘s romantic heist movie Lockdown starring Anne Hathaway, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lily James and Ben Stiller, and it’s currently in production on Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi action epic Moonfall starring Halle Berry and Patrick Wilson.

Bautista is no stranger to intergalactic peacekeeping, having played Drax in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies. Sci-fi fans also know Bautista from Blade Runner 2049, and he recently reunited with that film’s director, Denis Villeneuve, for WB’s upcoming tentpole Dune, which recently moved to 2021, as Collider first reported. Bautista also stars in Zack Snyder‘s zombie heist movie Army of the Dead, and for a first-look at that Netflix title, click here.