Following the news of the adaptation’s existence, Bautista took to Twitter to share his eagerness for the role, stating he “can’t make this any easier” for the producers before tagging both Netflix and the Gears of War Twitter handles. In addition to this little snippet of text, Bautista also shared old clips of himself promoting his part in Gears of War 5, where he was featured as a free unlockable skin for the multiplayer. This is not the first time Bautista has shared his desire to be part of a live-action Gears of War adaptation. In 2021, he revealed he was invited to a studio to discuss a part in the Fast and the Furious franchise, but used that time to chat about a Gears of War role instead. And it is not just Bautista that feels he would be ideal for the role of Marcus Fenix. Along with plenty of fans, he also has the endorsement of Cliff Bleszinski (aka Cliffy B), the lead designer on the first three instalments of the Gears of War franchise. In response to Bautista’s tweet, Bleszinski said the actor would be his “first choice” for the part. Meanwhile, Bleszinski did not stop there with his fan-casting. The designer also said he could see The Boys’ Karl Urban as Marcus, and Ryan Reynolds as Baird. One actor he does not want to see in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation, however? Sorry Mario, but Chris Pratt is a hard pass from the designer.
