Dave Bautista Turned Down The Suicide Squad to Make ‘a Lot More Money’ on Army of the Dead

The actor, 52, revealed in a recent interview that he ultimately chose Zack Snyder’s zombie heist movie because it would set up a relationship with Netflix — and it paid a whole lot better.

But the move meant he wouldn’t be starring in director James Gunn’s sequel after the two worked together on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.

“I get to build a relationship with Netflix, I get a lead role in a great film — and I get paid a lot more money,” Bautista said in an interview with Digital Spy. “I had to call James, and I told him, ‘It breaks my heart, because as a friend, I want to be there with you, but professionally, this is the smart decision for me.'”

© Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW Dave Bautista stars in Zack Snyder’s zombie heist movie Army of the Dead for Netflix 

Luckily, Gunn was thrilled for his pal Bautista.

“[Gunn] said, ‘I completely get it. I’m proud of you that you’re even in this position. I’m proud that I had something to do with you being in this position where you have to make these hard decisions,’ ” Bautista recalled.

Bautista has a history of supporting Gunn, especially after the director was briefly fired from his role in the Guardians franchise following the resurfacing of Gunn’s years-old insensitive tweets which joked about pedophilia and rape.

After the firing, the Guardians star was not afraid to speak up on behalf of Gunn. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Karen Gillan, Bautista, Sean Gunn, Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker came together to sign a statement in support of the Guardians writer and director, which Pratt posted on Instagram ten days after the news broke.

Gunn was eventually rehired as director and writer for the upcoming third Guardians movie.

Army of the Dead arrives on Netflix May 21.