Dave Bautista & Pom Klementieff’s New Movie Perfectly Reverses Their Guardians Of The Galaxy Roles (2024)

Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff are set to reunite in an upcoming action movie, and their new film perfectly reverses their Guardians of the Galaxy roles. Klementieff and Bautista have officially been cast in The Killer's Game which will focus on a hitman putting out a contract on himself. The film's premise centers around Joe Flood (Bautista) being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizing his own assassination, only to get the news he isn't actually dying. However, when he attempts to cancel the kill, Marianne (Klementieff) denies his request and invites several contracted killers to claim the bounty.

The trailer for The Killer's Game features some huge names and even sees Bautista reunite with a former WWE superstar, but the dynamic between Bautista and Klementieff is the movie's biggest selling point, especially after Guardians of the Galaxy. The duo's involvement in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 helped it become one of the highest-grossing movies of 2023, proving their chemistry is a recipe for success. The Killer's Game looks set to cash in on Klementieff and Bautista's on-screen relationship, but it will do so by completely flipping their GOTG roles, making for a compelling new dynamic.

Bautista & Klementieff’s New Roles Are Perfect After Their Guardians Of The Galaxy Performances

Guardians Of The Galaxy Proved How Well Bautista & Klementieff's On-Screen Chemistry Is

Klementieff and Bautista's new film looks even better after their Guardians of the Galaxy performances. Although Klementieff didn't join the superhero franchise until the second film, both actors were a massive part of making GOTG one of Marvel's most successful movie series. They each played great individual roles, but even more importantly, they bounced off one another incredibly well. Drax and Mantis had a unique friendship that often involved insulting one another and arguing, yet they still deeply cared for each other, developing an almost sibling-like relationship that even led to them starring in a one-off special.

The holiday special was essentially a Drax and Mantis Guardians of the Galaxy movie, allowing Bautista and Klementieff to show just how well they could perform together. The franchise's latest installment emphasized this even more as the duo were constantly at each other's throats, yet they contributed massively to Guardians of the Galaxy 3's warm and wholesome ending. Despite Mantis and Drax's frequent disagreements, it is clear their antics came from a place of love which is why it worked so well, but this only adds more intrigue to Bautista and Klementieff's new dynamic in The Killer's Game.

The Killer’s Game Puts Klementieff & Bautista Against Each Other

Bautista Vs. Klementieff Will Be A Complete Reversal Of Their GOTG Dynamic

While there was mild hostility between Drax and Mantis, the two still coexisted and wanted what was best for one another, but The Killer's Game puts Bautista and Klementieff directly against one another. Unlike their GOTG counterparts, Bautista and Klementieff's characters have no love in their new movie, with Klementieff's Marianne desperate to see Bautista's Joe Flood dead. According to the trailer, Flood was responsible for killing Marianne's dad which is why she resents him, and she doesn't appear to be holding back. This gives the actors a completely new relationship which will be entertaining to see play out.

This is far from the Bautista and Klementieff reunion people expected after Guardians of the Galaxy, but it is a hilarious twist on their previous work together. The Killer's Game does suggest that some of those classic Drax and Mantis interactions could still exist to some degree as the humor looks similar, but the film is unlikely to repeat Guardians of the Galaxy 3's happy ending. Given how well the duo worked as allies, it will be equally entertaining to see them on-screen as enemies, and The Killer's Game reversing their GOTG dynamic looks to be a stroke of genius.

The Killer’s Game Looks Set To Get The Best Out Of The Duo

The Comedy-Action Genre Will Once Again Get The Best Out Of Bautista & Klementieff

The Killer's Game looks destined to get the best out of the duo as they reunite on the big screen, and alongside having fantastic chemistry, the movie fits the actors on an individual basis as well. It is advertised as an action/thriller, but the trailer clearly indicates that there will also be plenty of comedy which suits Bautista and Klementieff perfectly. Bautista has shown his range in recent years, but action and comedy are two of his strongest genres, and it looks like The Killer's Game will utilize his sarcastic, deadpan humor effectively while giving him a deserved leading role.

Likewise, the tone looks perfect for Klementieff as her character conveys that same strange humor that Mantis seems to have, albeit in a slightly more graphic nature. The actress has also had recent experience playing a villain in an action film through Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One where she excelled, and Klementieff looks likely to do so again in The Killer's Game. With both actors taking on roles they are experienced and comfortable with, their new film should show off their best attributes which could make The Killer's Game 2024's surprise package.

The Killer's Game

Action

Comedy

Thriller

Director

J.J. Perry

Studio(s)

Dogbone Entertainment , Endurance Media , K. JAM Media , Lionsgate Films , Mad Chance

Writers

Jay Bonansinga , James Coyne , Simon Kinberg , Rand Ravich

Cast

Sofia Boutella , Dave Bautista , Scott Adkins , Ben Kingsley , Terry Crews , Daniel Bernhardt , George Somner , Marko Zaror

Main Genre

Action