Tampa, Florida - Ahead of the highly-anticipated movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, actor Dave Bautista made a shocking announcement about his future in the franchise.

The 53-year-old gained prominence due to his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy.

The wrestler-turned-actor began to expand his film résumé significantly with roles in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Dune, and Knock at the Cabin.

With these new beginnings comes a disappointing end, as Bautista has made a surprising revelation about his future in the superhero franchise.

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After nine years, he will be saying farewell to the iconic role of Drax after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

"I'm so grateful for Drax. I love him," he said in a new interview with GQ. "But there's a relief [that it's over]."

Though he remains thankful for the experience, Bautista admitted he wants to leave behind a more expansive legacy than simply his time as Drax.

"I just don't know if I want Drax to be my legacy – it's a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff," he said.

It's clear Bautista wants to escape the pigeonholed career that often comes courtesy of the wrestler-to-actor pipeline.

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As he looks to escape blockbuster franchises, he continues to book new roles with critically-acclaimed directors like Denis Villeneuve and Sam Mendes.

"I never wanted to be the next Rock," he told GQ. "I just want to be a good f***ing actor. A respected actor."

The final installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has been rumored to be an emotional ride, and Bautista's news provides further evidence for fan theories about a major character's death.

The dramatic trailer for the film shows several characters crying, and many fans speculated that Rocket Raccoon would be the one to meet his end.

While Rocket's death can't be ruled out, it seems that Drax is undoubtedly a goner as well.

The actor's alleged spoiler certainly frustrated some fans, and it shocked many given the franchise's notoriously tight-lipped protocols.

Of course, this is the MCU we're talking about. Death is rarely final, and it's possible that Drax might not be entirely killed off, either.

Though Marvel fans will certainly be sad to see him go, many have expressed their excitement at Bautista's future endeavors.

"Bautista is genuinely a really talented actor, and as much as I love Drax, I'm far more excited by the possibilities of seeing Ba[u]tista try new things," one fan tweeted.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5.