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The Killer's Game starring Dave Bautista as a hit man who takes a hit out on himself after learning he is terminally ill, only to discover doctors made a mistake and now he can't cancel the hit is now playing at theaters across The United States. Among the horde seeking to take out Bautista in the film is WWE's Drew McIntyre in his first-ever film role. PWInsider.com recently sat down with Drew to discuss this new realm, how it and WWE cascade into each other and even a guy named CM Punk.
Mike Johnson: We've got a lot of things to talk about. Obviously, September 13th, The Killer's Game will premiere in theaters, a new realm for you. Obviously you've conquered all realms in WWE and professional wrestling, but the acting world is a, is a new opportunity for you. What was it like stepping on set for the first time and portraying someone other than Drew McIntyre?
Drew McIntyre: Oh, I mean, that was a little nerve wracking, I guess. I was flying over to Budapest and realizing, 'oh wow, this is a little outside of my comfort zone' but I'm going to go in like a sponge. I'm going to listen to those that know better than me and trust that my WWE training and all the years being in front of the camera is going to help me out in this environment. When I stepped on set, I was still nervous. It wasn't until Dave come up himself, Dave Bautista, and told me, or asked me, 'Are you nervous?' I said, 'Yes, I'm very nervous, Dave.' He said, 'Well, I'm nervous too.' How can you be nervous after all this time and all these roles you've played, all these big movies you've been part of? So that helped relax me. sure enough, as soon as I finally got in front of the camera, no matter how many people were around me, or how big it felt as soon as that red light went on. It's like the WWE training went right into action. I relaxed instantly and started having so much fun.
Mike: So Rory McKenzie, who you play in the film is a bounty hunter who's out to get Dave Bautista's character. Tell us a little bit more about Rory McKenzie and what we can expect to see from you on the silver screen when the film comes out?
Drew: Rory and Angus McKenzie are a couple of brothers. We are very effective hitman, but we're the kind of hitman you go to when you need the job done by any means necessary, to get down and dirty. He is Scottish, which is very helpful since I'm actually Scottish. Rory himself is a big, violent, funny hitman who enjoys a drink and yeah, kicking arse. He's kind of basically like me.
Mike: Obviously you brought a lot of what you do in World Wrestling Entertainment onto the silver screen for this film, but I was curious what did you take from these experiences filming The Killer's Game that you perhaps used to enhance yourself when you returned to WWE programming?
Drew: I've been asked similar questions today and I really had to think [about whether] I [have] taken things unintentionally, the advice that, you know, JJ, the director, Dave himself, or Scott Adkins, who played my brother...they were really just there constantly giving me advice to think about things in different ways. I guess subconsciously I have been doing that. I know we filmed it right before the character transition with McIntyre. I was back and forth to Budapest doing Raw every week as the character was starting to switch, and I think it helped me step outside of...okay, this sounds cool. This is what we're doing. Let me look at it from here. Let me look at it from here and all different angles and what's going to be the most interesting angle that's going to make people react the most emotionally.
Mike: When you think about Dave Bautista and his evolution into acting, I'm curious what you took from him on set and how that might have influenced how you approached acting, given it was a completely new realm for you?
Drew: It was cool to see. I mean, from afar, obviously I grew up around Dave. He was a made man when I got to WWE. I was 22, out of my element, making mistakes left and right, and he was one of the few guys who were helping me out and telling me, 'Hey, you need to know this. Let me point you in the right direction.' He's the reason that was part of this movie. So to see a success from afar, be reunited with them and being mentored again by him, but also watching where he's at now and how effortless he made everything look....I've been behind the camera, just watching him in the scenes. I was like, 'Wow, he's just so relaxed. He's just...he is the character. He is Joe Flood" That's a testament to him betting on himself and the hard work that he's done, that so many people now, when they hear the name Bautista, they don't think the wrestler. They think that actor that can basically do it all, like a chameleon. In this movie gets to show, you know, the romantic side of Dave. Let's say, get the girls a little even more excited about that.
Mike: You recently signed with Paradigm to represent you, not just in Hollywood, but across all realms. What has been like starting to navigate and plan strategies for yourself outside of WWE in the Hollywood circles and how has Paradigm helped you plan those plan those trajectories?
Drew: The whole team have been great. I work with Nick directly from Paradigm and just hearing their plan, their strategies...What an intelligent approach they have for myself and our other WWE Superstars that are represented going into the future, presenting opportunities that are going to help the company we're working with and WWE and the characters brand themselves. It's a strategy where everybody becomes a winner. I'm excited to be part of it and it's a situation like when I was at The Killer's Game and I defer to the experts and listen to people that know more than me. I'm constantly listening to everybody around me and learning and it's exciting. I've been, you know, in the wrestling forever. I'm not leaving it. I'm in the prime of my career, but it's also fun to, you know, have what's going on in the side and being excited about that too.
Mike: As we're recording this you are in the middle of some pretty heavy duty stuff, physically and emotionally with CM Punk. When you found out he was returning to the company, could you have ever imagined this was going to work out as well as it has for yourself and the fans?
Drew: I mean, if I had a chance to really think about it, initially, I was pretty annoyed, but I understand business and I understand why it was done, but,I found it interesting that everybody started going, oh, it's obviously going to be this, or obviously going to be this guy. I was sitting there thinking, there's a lot of real history here, and a lot of real feelings I've got and if I get the opportunity, I know we could tell the most compelling story of all, because no matter my real feelings, I'm still a professional, you know? He's still a professional, and we've been given the platform to show the world what we can truly do creatively, our creative team, obviously led by Triple H, is very much, you go out there and you take this creative as far as you can take it. You make people feel, you make people believe, and it's not so hard to make people believe when you truly feel what's good on screen, inside and out.
Mike: Speaking of screen, what do you think is going to be the most surprising thing WWE's audience finds about you when they see you as Rory in The Killer's Game?
Drew: I don't know, I'm kind of curious to hear the feedback. I feel like I've been...I was very appreciative about JJ's feedback, Dave's,, Scott's, everybody on set being in my first movie and being very complimentary and a few people I trusted have seen the film in screenings. So it's cool to get some positive feedback, but, I'm curious to see what our fans think because we have the harshest, most critical fan base in the world. So I'm excited to see what they think about it. When I watched the movie myself, I got the pre screening at home. I was getting into it because it's the kind of movie I would watch, you know, with my wife and I was like, man, this is a fun watch. Then to see myself pop up, all of a sudden I was like, 'Oh, that's right, I'm in this thing!" It's cool to be part of a movie that is genuinely a good movie and to show a different side. I'm curious yet to see what people feel when they see me pop up on the screen.
Mike: It seems like every time we speak, there's another leveling up for you. Another moment of evolving, whether it be writing, whether it be getting to the WWE Championship, whether it being figuring out a new layer of your character. What do you hope in the next year? You continue to evolve into both in WWE and now in the acting realm?
Drew: It's impossible to say. I just keep on this path. Give it everything I've got, and when opportunities present themselves, or somebody gives me the ball, I make sure I score, and it's just wild to look at the journey. You know, you've seen it yourself. Like, ten years ago, I was fired from WWE. 10 years later, I've been lucky enough to main event WrestleMania, win the championship a few times, win Rumbles, main event, the Scottish show, the first stadium show 30 years, and now be part of my first movie, it's just feels like I'm back. I don't know. I've been in a coma perhaps the past 10 years. I'm going to wake up and go, ah, it was all a dream. This doesn't seem real, but it is and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
Mike: Well, if you're going to wake up, let's hope it's after September 13th. So you can see yourself in theaters worldwide. We thank you as always for your time. We look forward to talking to you down the line and we'll see you at The Killer's Game.
Drew: Yeah. I appreciate you, Mike, as always. I'll talk to you soon.
For more on The Killer's Game, now playing in theaters, visit https://www.thekillersgame.movie/
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