Batista Extends Deal with Marvel, Future with WWE Remains in Question

When Batista left the WWE as a full-time performer after WrestleMania 26, he did not have any guarantees that his acting career would be a success. Unlike The Rock, who was an international sensation, Batista was well-known in wrestling circles but an unknown commodity everywhere else. 

Batista's Hollywood success mirrors that of the surprise blockbuster that has launched his career. Neither Batista nor Guardians of the Galaxy was a sure thing, but they have dominated the box office this summer, and now the former WWE champion is cashing in. 

According to PWInsider (h/t WrestlingInc.com), Batista has extended his contract with Marvel to include Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Avengers 3. Both of these films are considered locks to push the $1 billion number when including international markets.

To put it simply, Batista bet on himself when he walked away from the WWE, and he won big. 

As for the WWE, though, his future is now unclear. No longer reliant on the company for a few more big paychecks, Batista can return to Hollywood for an easier work schedule, larger guaranteed paydays and less wear and tear on his body. 

Adding to speculation over whether Batista would even be interested in returning is his vocal displeasure with how he was treated when he returned. In an interview with Steve Persall of the Tampa Bay Times, Batista said he was unhappy with the creative direction of the company and the storylines he was involved in: 

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"I put it aside for now, and that really had a lot to do with my obligations to Marvel," he said. "But it also had to do with the fact that (the WWE and I) weren't seeing eye-to-eye, creatively. The stuff they were doing with story lines just didn't make sense to me. ... I'd love to go back. I'm a professional wrestler at heart and I miss it. But I want to be there and be happy with what I'm doing."

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Batista's big return occurred smack in the middle of the WWE Universe revolting against the product in support of Daniel Bryan. Despite clear evidence that the fans wanted Bryan in the top spot of the show, WWE insisted on pushing Batista. This led to a negative reaction from fans aimed directly at the returning superstar.

In a D.C. CBS radio interview (h/t PWTorch), Batista said that he preferred playing a heel. It would have made sense for him to return as a heel at WrestleMania, but the WWE was once again tone deaf to their audience and pushed Batista through as a valiant conquering hero. 

Batista won the Royal Rumble and was booed. Then he was a strange tweener. Then he finally aligned himself entirely with Triple H and reformed Evolution after WrestleMania. After a few months of eating pinfalls to The Shield and backing up Triple H and Randy Orton, Batista packed it up and went on to promote his soon-to-be meal ticket. 

I wouldn't be surprised if Batista were to come back for a run to WrestleMania this year. The high-profile show would continue the media buzz following the success of Guardians and be a bridge to the next film. Considering he was written off by walking out on Triple H, I think Batista returning as a no-nonsense anti-hero tough guy ready to give it to the boss who used and abused him last year would make sense. 

I was disappointed when he left after WrestleMania 26 because his new bad-guy character seemed to rejuvenate his love of performing. The storyline with Cena was absolutely dead on, showcasing how he and Cena had both risen at the same time and that he had become a bigger star than Cena only to be put on the backburner as WWE pushed the clean-cut good guy instead. 

I have to feel good for Batista, because despite his immense success in the WWE both financially and kayfabe, he could have been even bigger were WWE willing to promote him on equal footing with Cena. But nobody is every allowed to be equal to Cena, so Batista took his ball to Hollywood and turned out to be a bigger mainstream action movie star than Cena will ever be. 

I hope to see Batista back in the WWE for one more good run in the next year.