Dave Bautista in ‘Entice Home’. Picture: Courtesy of AURA Leisure.
Opening in theaters nationwide on November 14th is the brand new motion thriller ‘Entice Home’, which was directed by Michael Dowse (‘Stuber’), and stars Dave Bautista (‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Thriller’), Jack Champion (‘Avatar: The Approach of Water’), Tony Dalton (‘Hawkeye’), and Bobby Cannavale (‘Ant-Man’).
“This is not a raid. It is a reckoning.”
Launch Date: Nov 14, 2025
Moviefone lately had the pleasure of talking with Dave Bautista about his work on ‘Entice Home’, growing the challenge as a producer, balancing the motion with the daddy/son story, his recommendation for younger actor Jack Champion, fanboying over Bobby Cannavale, and his shut working relationship with director Michael Dowse, in addition to sword coaching to play The Kurgan within the upcoming remake of ‘Highlander’, and becoming a member of Jake Gyllenhaal for ‘Highway Home 2’.
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(L to R) Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale in ‘Entice Home’. Picture: Courtesy of AURA Leisure.
Moviefone: To start with, are you able to speak about your work on ‘Entice Home’ as a producer and the challenges of getting this film made?
Dave Bautista: I would have to return to how this occurred. So, a buddy of mine who works for the NSA now, however he is type of been round regulation enforcement. He was within the navy, he is been a cop, he labored for the DOD, and he labored for Federal regulation enforcement. Now he is on the NSA. Anyway, he got here to me with this concept. He stated, “Hey, I bought an concept. I wished to run by you. It is a couple of bunch of DEA brokers they usually’re seizing medication and cash from drug sellers. These children, they’re simply searching for a wild trip, so they begin robbing the cash from their dad and mom. I stated, “I do not love that. I do not love the child stealing from the federal government. What about this?” So, I got here up with the concept of the children actually needing the cash, not simply wanting the cash or desirous to be on the wild trip however needing the cash to assist a good friend. They begin robbing drug sellers that their dad and mom have been investigating, as a result of their dad and mom after all they are not going to suspect their children. However I like the concept of turning right into a three-way type of cat and mouse. In order that’s initially the way it began. Then I would carried out a movie known as ‘Ultimate Rating’ with the producer who I ended up producing ‘Ultimate Rating’ with, Marc Goldberg. In order that’s how I pitched the concept to him, and he stated, “I like that concept. Let’s a rent author, and let’s do it”. So, that is the way it all initially began. After I learn the primary draft, it was very completely different from what I turned it turned out to be, as a result of I it was initially extra like ‘The Quick and the Livid’. I wished it to be type of that meets ‘Stand by Me’. I wished it to be an journey for the children who type of get in over their heads. However I wished there to be some innocence to it and that’s type of the way it began. It took years to get the script to the place we wished it to be, and even then, there was nonetheless a rocky highway after that. This was a tough movie to make.
MF: Are you able to speak about balancing the movie’s father and son story with the motion and thriller facets of the film?
DB: That is what we wished it to be. We wished it to be about strained relationships, however we all the time wished it to be instructed from the children’ viewpoint. I did not need the dad and mom to be the star of this movie. I wished the children to be the celebs of the movie. I additionally thought, I simply wished it to be enjoyable, as a result of typically, particularly I discovered with wrestling, you need the dangerous man to get away with it. The youngsters, they are not doing the suitable factor. They don’t seem to be doing the most effective factor. They’ve gotten themselves in manner over their heads. However we went by means of drafts the place one of many children bought shot, and I used to be like, “No, we won’t do this.” In a single draft the children bought arrested, they went to jail, I used to be like, “No, we won’t do this.” It is a kind of issues the place it’s only a enjoyable movie. This isn’t a documentary. We simply need to have enjoyable. We wish children to have enjoyable watching this movie. We wish it to be a popcorn movie. We wish it to be entertaining. But it surely’s constructed a bridge between a father and his son who, the place their relationship is strained they usually’re making an attempt to determine find out how to bond. Then that is how they bought by means of all this mayhem. That is the best way my character was capable of categorical his like to his son, which his son had by no means observed earlier than. He all the time thought he’d put his job first however Cody actually is aware of that he is sacrificing all the pieces as a result of he loves his son a lot.
(L to R) Sophia Lillis, Jack Champion, Whitney Peak and Zaire Adams in ‘Entice Home’. Picture: Courtesy of AURA Leisure.
MF: Are you able to speak about creating that father and son relationship onscreen with Jack Champion?
DB: It was really easy. Jack and I bonded instantly. We’re type of from the identical neck of the woods, and he was actually beginning to get into boxing and stuff. So, we had one thing to speak about and it simply occurred organically. We went and educated earlier than we began filming. We labored out collectively and you actually get to know folks for those who work out collectively. So, we bonded instantly. I additionally thought, he is simply such a pleasant, cool, humble child, and I’ve labored with folks in Hollywood who began out younger and I really feel like they lose a reference to folks. They type of get sheltered, they get in a bubble, they usually lose interplay with folks. Jack did not have any of that. He was simply tremendous pleasant and humble, and he actually wished to study. I believed, man, this child he is a number one man. He type of checked out me like a mentor on this movie and to be sincere with you, I type of liked it. So, we had good conversations and I believed, he’ll have a future on this enterprise. I wished to share with him a number of the stuff that I discovered alongside the best way, and simply hope he’s on the suitable path all through his profession and treats folks nice. I actually consider in treating your crew nice. They don’t make as a lot cash as you do, and they do not get the highlight that you just do, however they’re working twice as onerous as you do. They’re there earlier than you get there, they usually’re there after you permit. I consider that. I discovered that from WWE. I’ve all the time carried that with me, and I attempt to go that on to anyone who will pay attention. Since Jack is younger on this enterprise and impressionable, I wished to share that with him, that sentiment, that is the best way I have a look at filmmaking. That is the best way. That is the perspective I’m going to work with. Be good to folks, courteous to folks, respect folks after which construct that type of constructive surroundings. Within the onerous days, that type of surroundings, it pays off as a result of it isn’t like any individual’s working more durable than any individual else. We’re all working. We’re all on it collectively. We’re on this struggle as a result of days on movies get lengthy they usually get onerous. You are lacking your loved ones and you are not sleeping effectively and you are not consuming proper. So, for those who construct that relationship with folks and preserve it in an actual constructive surroundings, that begins from the highest all the best way down, then you definately get an excellent surroundings which is able to translate into good filmmaking. Hopefully, good filmmaking. However you already know at the least everyone’s on the identical web page and we’re making an attempt to create a high quality challenge. Everyone’s bought their coronary heart invested in it.
MF: What was it like working with Bobby Cannavale and what did you study from watching the best way he approaches a personality?
DB: I used to be making an attempt to not fanboy an excessive amount of. Bobby’s a quiet man. He isn’t an enormous talker, and I’ve a thousand of questions to choose his mind about, particularly his stage work. He is an actual man’s man. He is tremendous into sports activities and he is tremendous good-looking, which is obnoxious. He is a New Yorker, too, so he is just a bit tough across the edges. However he is quiet and he is to himself. He is tremendous low upkeep, does not have an entourage with him, and he reads rather a lot. However I picked my spots and simply type of picked his mind about appearing and stuff. I used to be such an enormous fan of his as a result of I believed his portrayal of his character on ‘Boardwalk Empire’ was simply so fearless. I simply liked it a lot, and so I wished to choose his mind about that, but in addition about stage work as a result of I aspire to do stage work. However I my relationship with him, all of it constructed from a basis of respect for what he is carried out and the particular person he’s, as a result of he is only a good strong dude, and tremendous gifted.
(L to R) Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale in ‘Entice Home’. Picture: Courtesy of AURA Leisure.
MF: I do know that you’ve labored with director Michael Dowse up to now, what was it like reuniting with him on this movie and what do you take pleasure in about the best way he directs?
DB: We’ve got a relationship. Michael and I’m going manner again. We did a movie known as ‘Stuber’ collectively, which I’ve bought a chip on my shoulder as a result of I I’ve all the time felt like that movie was tremendous underrated. We simply bought smashed within the field workplace. I feel folks weren’t certain what the movie was. It’s simply my opinion, however I do not assume I used to be a large enough identify to hold the movie, however I nonetheless assume it is only a nice movie. It is a enjoyable movie. We have been additionally boxed between large movies like ‘Toy Story 4’, ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Dwelling’. So, we simply bought smashed. However Mike saved us on this movie as a result of Mike stepped in final minute. We had a director and he dropped out weeks earlier than we have been supposed to start out filming. So, I known as Mike and I stated, “Hey, we’re simply in a jam.” He simply jumped on it. Mike’s the kind of man who simply is aware of what he needs. Once more, he is good to folks and all the time has an excellent vitality, however he is simply good at relaying what he needs. He makes issues easy. He is clearly the boss when he is on set, he simply has a imaginative and prescient. You by no means guess, who’s the boss? You are by no means trying round, making an attempt to determine it out. Like, who ought to I’m going to? Mike is the boss when he is on set. So, folks have a whole lot of respect for him, and I do as effectively. So, at that time, as a result of we have been behind and with no chief, we wanted a pacesetter and Mike stepped in and actually type of saved us. So, I all the time love him, and can be glad about him for that, and different issues as effectively, however most largely that.
MF: What are you able to inform us about making ready on your upcoming position as The Kurgan within the remake of ‘Highlander’? Have you ever began sword coaching but?
DB: I have been sword coaching for nearly three months. It is robust. This movie will not be going to be something anyone’s seen earlier than. I feel this script is superb. I do not typically get like tremendous enthusiastic about scripts. I normally learn scripts after which I begin to assume, how can we repair this? How can we make this higher? There’s one thing there, however how can we elevate it? Not with this one. After I learn it, I simply bought it. It was nice. The characters have been elevated, and there’s a whole lot of nods to the unique, however it is extremely completely different. Additionally, the motion on that is going to be ridiculous. I imply, it is ‘John Wick’ amplified as a result of it is simply by no means been carried out. Clearly, there’s going to be swords. I do not assume that is going to a spoiler alert. There’s going to be swords, but it surely’s a whole lot of very stylized sword combating. I imply, Chad (Stahelski) has been fascinated by this for a really very long time. Our ten-to-fifteen-minute conferences flip into two-hour conversations as a result of I feel he is been obsessing over this movie for years now. So, I feel individuals are going to be actually enthusiastic about this. I hope they’re. I can not look ahead to folks to see the primary trailer as a result of I’ve seen mockups and I get goosebumps. I am a fan of the unique, and never each movie ought to be remade, however this one had such an ideal and attention-grabbing premise. On the time, I do not assume it smashed field workplace data, but it surely’s bought a little bit of a cult following. However I would like extra folks to be conversant in it and I am certain this new movie goes to be a field workplace smash, however I hope that it’ll convey consideration to the unique as a result of I am an enormous fan of it and Clancy Brown. I bought massive sneakers to fill, and I will probably be sincere and say that I am tremendous nervous about it. I am a bit of self-conscious as a result of Clancy was in his 20’s when he performed The Kurgan, and I am over right here in my 50s making an attempt to fill his sneakers. These are massive sneakers to fill. So hopefully I do it justice, however I can say that it will not be from lack of onerous work as a result of I have been working my butt off. I have been pursuing the position of The Kurgan for in all probability ten plus years, and so it’s the dream position.
(Left) Dave Bautista stars in ‘Within the Misplaced Lands’. (Proper) Clancy Brown as The Kurgan in ‘Highlander’. Picture: twentieth Century Fox.
MF: Lastly, what has it been like becoming a member of ‘Highway Home 2’ and dealing with Jake Gyllenhaal?
DB: It is nice. It is a dream. I all the time inform folks, I type of measure my profession by who I am working with. I have been a fan of Jake’s for a really very long time, and I instructed him that years in the past as a result of we had a mutual good friend and he caught us collectively on a FaceTime name. I used to be like, “Man, I am an enormous fan. I went, lengthy earlier than ‘Highway Home’ was even a dialog, to see him in ‘Othello’ on Broadway with Denzel Washington. I went again and talked to him, and he simply blows me away. He is an actual actor. He is the actual deal. So, to assume that I can say that I I am working with him, if to not anybody else, it says to me one thing personally about the place my profession’s at, and it means rather a lot to me. I’ve by no means been an accolades man, however after I can get respect from my friends and friends that I maintain on to a pedestal, meaning extra to me. Plus, he is an excellent dude. He is only a nice man. He is tremendous right down to earth, humorous and sensible, and simply tremendous gifted. We’re having in depth conversations about issues we’re doing in scenes, seems, mannerisms, backstories, and that is what I like about appearing.
‘Entice Home’ opens in theaters on November 14th.
What’s the plot of ‘Entice Home’?
In El Paso, Texas, an undercover DEA agent (Dave Bautista) and his associate embark on a sport of cat and mouse with their very own teenage youngsters, who’re utilizing their dad and mom’ ways and intel to rob a harmful cartel.
Who’s within the forged of ‘Entice Home’?
(Left) Dave Bautista in ‘Entice Home’. Picture: Courtesy of AURA Leisure.