Report: Batista may not return to WWE following success of Guardians of the Galaxy

According to PWInsider.com (subscription required), WWE officials have been discussing Dave Bautista's future as a performer for the company - and many feel that his career, at least as a full-timer, may be over due to his Hollywood success.

With rave reviews in global blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy leading to advance buzz for the Kickboxer remake he's attached to, Bautista is now more than a bit player in direct-to-DVD movies.  As such, he finds himself in a situation a lot closer to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's than seemed likely when he signed his current deal- where movie studios may be hesitant to cast him in high-profile roles if he's wrestling.  The risk of injury becomes a much bigger factor when your name is one of the ones being counted on to attract distribution and market a film, as he's hoping to be now, than when you're seen as a risky call to fill a supporting role, as he was in Guardians.

Adding credence to the report is the lack of any mention of Bautista, or his pro wrestling persona Batista, on WWE television since he "quit"/was written off earlier this summer.  Rumor had it that he might be back for SummerSlam or certainly would be back for Night of Champions.  But with only a few weeks before that show and two episodes of Raw wrapped without anything being built for The Animal, a role in the September 21st pay-per-view (PPV) might already be a stretch.

Deals aren't made public by WWE, so while reports indicated that his was a two year deal to return as a full-timer, that could probably be re-worked even if it was 100% true.  With Big Dave already stating that he wasn't thrilled with how WWE Creative handled his character this Spring, he might be a lot more particular about what kind of story he's willing to return for now that he has plenty of other options.

Maybe a WrestleMania retirement match against Triple H?  A chance to play heel against dream opponent Titus O'Neil?

If this report is correct, we may have to wait to see what WWE offers to try and entice their newest breakout star back to the company.

Or if what Hollywood offers is just too good to pass up.