M. Night Shyamalan says Dave Bautista gives ‘one of the best performances of the year’ in KNOCK AT THE CABIN

M. Night Shyamalanthe latest thriller, Knock on the booth less than two months have passed since its release and fans are wondering what twists we can expect from this new story. The star-studded cast includes Dave Bautista (Dune, Guardians of the Galaxy franchise), Jonathan Groff (Hamilton, Mindhunter), Ben Aldridge (Pennyworth, Lots of fleas), Nikki Amuka-Bird (Persuasion, Old), Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn (Little Women, Fixed network) And Rupert Grint (Servant, Harry Potter franchise), and from what the director has said, Bautista steals the show and delivers a performance of a lifetime.

In a recent interview with ComicBook, Shyamalan was specifically asked how Dave Bautista fared in the role, one of his most serious since becoming an actor after having a career in professional wrestling. The director shared:

“Bautista is – well, I was at a dinner with some friends, and they were like, ‘How’s Dave Bautista? The wrestler, right? That’s crazy! How was it?’ And I was like, ‘He gave one of the best performances of the year in that movie.’ And they were like ‘Hahaha!’ And I was like, ‘Nah… this is no joke, I’m just setting the record straight. This guy did it.’ Right guy. Right role. Right time in his life,” Shymalan explained to Chris Killian of ComicBook, adding that “He just did what you hope all actors do for you, which is he was completely vulnerable, he put himself completely in my hands, and said ‘I trust you.’ And because of that, I felt so much need to bring out the beauty of who she is as a human being. Just a beautiful moment.”

Since we know very little about the film as a whole, it’s great to hear. Bautista recently spoke to GQ about his role and the unique pressure that comes with this new style, saying:

“It’s by far the most I’ve ever spoken in a film. Just huge pages of monologues. We were shooting on film, which is very expensive. And we were shooting with a camera, so you don’t have the luxury of edits. It’s your only chance: you need the perfect shot. There’s a lot of pressure. I want to remember my dialogue, but not at the expense of losing the emotion of the scene.

He also talked about how much he wants to be a good and respected actor and doesn’t care about the fame aspect of his professional acting career:

“Honestly, I could give a damn [about being a movie star]. I don’t live a big glamorous life. I live here in Tampa. I don’t care about the spotlight, I don’t care about the fame. I just want to be a better actor. I want respect from my peers. I don’t need accolades, I really don’t, man. It’s about the experience, knowing that I’ve accomplished something.

It looks like he’s going to get that respect after this performance. Can’t wait to check it out. Knock on the booth will be released in theaters on February 3.