Dave Bautista Says ‘Trap House’ Was Saved by Director Michael Dowse

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Dave Bautista is returning to the big screen with a new action comedy called Trap House on November 14th. The film reunites him with director Michael Dowse, who also directed Stuber. Bautista recently told MovieWeb that Dowse wasn’t initially scheduled to direct, but he brought him on board when the project began to face difficulties, knowing he could count on Dowse to get things back on track.

Originally, Michael wasn’t supposed to direct the movie. We unexpectedly lost our director just weeks before filming. We’d been trying to get this film made for years, but my busy schedule kept getting in the way. Eventually, we found a short window of time where we could film, and an even smaller one where I was available to be in it. We had to drastically shorten my shooting schedule, condensing weeks of work into just a couple of weeks.

When our director left, it was devastating for all of us. I immediately reached out to Mike, explaining we desperately needed someone to take over. He didn’t even hesitate—he accepted the challenge right away and got started immediately. He was a natural leader, and I knew he could handle it, which is why I contacted him in the first place.

Dave Bautista has worked with James Gunn before, a director known for consistently casting actors he trusts. It was clear this time that Bautista felt confident in Gunn’s direction and knew he wouldn’t be let down.

He was the first person I thought of, and the only one I called, and I’m so glad I did. He stepped in and took charge, which isn’t usually the kind of movie he works on. But because we had a strong working relationship, it just clicked. He really pulled it off, and that’s just Mike – anyone who’s worked with him knows he’s a natural leader.

Mike always has a solution, no matter what. Whenever we faced a challenge, especially when things got really difficult, he was the person we needed. I already admired him, but he truly saved this film. I’ve told everyone I’ve spoken to about it: Michael Dowse was instrumental in getting it made, and I’m incredibly proud of the final result.

Can ‘Trap House’ Be a November Hit?

Dave Bautista is known for blockbusters like Guardians of the Galaxy and Dune, but his last truly successful film outside of those franchises was 2023’s Knock at the Cabin, which earned $54 million globally. His more recent films haven’t performed as well: The Killer’s Game brought in $5.8 million, In the Lost Lands only $3.6 million, and Afterburn, released just a few months ago, barely exceeded $1 million at the box office.

Aura Entertainment picked up the film Trap House as their very first release. While action movies are consistently popular with streamers, they don’t always succeed in theaters. This suggests Trap House might not be a huge box office hit, but it’s likely to be a strong contender for the top spot when it becomes available for streaming.

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2025-11-11 02:48