Wrestling star and actor Dave Bautista has received a nomination for Worst Actor at the 46th Golden Raspberry Awards, known as the Razzies, which spotlight the year’s poorest film performances. This announcement comes just before the 2026 Oscar nominations, with the ceremony scheduled for March 14, 2026.
Bautista earned the nomination for his role as Boyce in the action fantasy film In the Lost Lands, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson. The story centers on Boyce, a mysterious hunter who escorts witch Gray Alys, played by Milla Jovovich, through a perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland. Their mission is to fulfill a queen’s wish involving the acquisition of werewolf powers. Despite its ambitious premise, the film failed to perform at the box office, grossing only $6.2 million against a $55 million budget.
The Worst Actor category also includes Ice Cube for War of the Worlds, Scott Eastwood for Alarum, Jared Leto for Tron: Ares, and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye for Hurry Up Tomorrow. Notably, both Disney’s Snow White and Ice Cube’s War of the Worlds lead the nominations with six each. Milla Jovovich, Bautista’s co-star, received a nomination in the Worst Actress category.
CM Punk Shares Ambitions Inspired by Bautista’s Acting Journey
WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk recently discussed his own acting ambitions during an appearance on That Hashtag Show while promoting his film Night Patrol. Punk expressed admiration for Dave Bautista’s varied career and showed enthusiasm for pursuing roles across genres, including dramas and comedies.
Reflecting on his experience, CM Punk described the opportunity as “literally a dream,” explaining how landing the role came unexpectedly after a reading for director Ryan Prows. He described working alongside experienced cast and crew as an inspiring experience.
“Yeah, I cast a wide net. I want to do everything like Dave Bautista. Currently shooting a rom-com in Calgary, which I think is gonna turn a lot of people’s heads, too. There’s no such thing as small roles. I want to jump into every single opportunity that gets thrown my way and have fun doing it,”
CM Punk said.
Understanding the Razzie Impact on Careers
The Golden Raspberry Awards, while intended as a humorous critique of the film industry’s low points, often bring heightened attention to those nominated. For Bautista, the Razzie nod marks a challenging milestone in his transition from WWE fame to mainstream acting. Despite the negative spotlight on In the Lost Lands, Bautista remains a recognizable figure who has taken on diverse roles beyond wrestling, signaling an ongoing effort to expand his career.
With the Razzie ceremony approaching, industry watchers will be interested to see if Bautista’s career experiences a dip or if he, like some past nominees, uses the notoriety as motivation for future projects. CM Punk’s comments suggest that many emerging actors within wrestling circles view Bautista’s path as a blueprint for embracing a broad range of film roles despite setbacks.
