Universe’s Most Wanted: Dave Bautista teams with Brad Peyton on sci-fi flick

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ladies and gentlemen, Dave Bautista is headed back to space! It's been announced that RAMPAGE director Brad Peyton and Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Blade Runner 2049, Stuber) are joining forces to produce Universe's Most Wanted, a big-budgeted sci-fi fantasy flick.

In addition to his producer credit, Bautista will also star in the interstellar insanity that will focus on a small town that gets a big surprise when a space ship carrying the universe’s most wanted and dangerous criminals crash lands in their backyard. Soon the sheriff’s son becomes a hero when he finds himself helping an intergalactic peacekeeper (Bautista) to keep the ragtag group of alien prisoners from escaping and taking over the world.

F. Scott Frazier (xXx: Return of Xander Cage) and Jimmy Loweree are writing the script, which Peyton will direct and produce courtesy of ASAP Entertainment, alongside ASAP’s Jeff Fierson. Jonathan Meisner will also produce with Bautista via the action star's Dream Bros Entertainment label.

“Jeff and I are incredibly excited to be teaming up with Dave, Jonathan, and AGC on this project. Scott and Jimmy are terrific writers and have conceived of the perfect sci-fi tentpole that fits perfectly into ASAP’s brand and my directing sensibilities. We couldn’t be more thrilled to get going on Universe’s Most Wanted. This is the type of fun mysterious and irreverent adventure we all need right now,” Peyton said while talking up the project, which is expected to roll into production next spring.

I know that it's hard to get excited about any film project nowadays, what with so many theaters still be shuttered and all, but I think this sounds like a lot of fun. I'm curious to learn if Universe's Most Wanted will be presented as a hard PG-13 Sci-fi spectacle as opposed to a family-friendly romp that has Bautista playing yet another tough guy who bends to the whims of someone that's a quarter of his own age. I suppose we'll have to wait for more details to find out, though if this project is anything like Rampage, you can bet that we'll be in for some big-time destruction as criminals from beyond the stars run amok.