“We were having a great time beating the hell out of each other”: Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa and Ángel Manuel Soto on The Wrecking Crew

Brutal action with a ton of heart, The Wrecking Crew combines the intimidating physicality and acting prowess of Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa. It follows two estranged brothers forced to work together to uncover the mystery behind their father’s death. Cue traitorous politicians, undercover shenanigans and emotional fight sequences in the mud. Amidst all this flourish is a story about family reconnecting and learning what it means to rely on a brother.

The two stars, alongside director Ángel Manuel Soto, came together for the global press conference of The Wrecking Crew, where they first discussed how the project came to fruition. Bautista explained his desire to work with Momoa after bonding with the Aquaman star while filming the TV series See. “We had such a great experience on See, but our characters were of a certain tone [and] a certain nature,” he said. “I came away from that series feeling super unfulfilled, knowing I really want to work with this guy.”

Momoa had the initial idea, which he pitched to Bautista. The latter famously tweeted in August 2021 about the potential to work with Momoa on a buddy-cop, Lethal Weapon-esque picture directed by David Leitch. From there, Momoa’s idea became the foundation for The Wrecking Crew, with their See showrunner Jonathan Tropper writing the script. “I think he writes really well for us; he knows us extremely well. We love working with him.” According to Bautista, the longest part of the process was finding the right director: “We tossed around ideas, and we just couldn’t find the right guy.”

Enter Soto, the Blue Beetle filmmaker who took on the task of directing The Wrecking Crew. “I read the script from Jonathan Tropper. I had no idea yet that these two guys were involved,” he said, reflecting on his first encounter with the project. “It made sense because the characters were so tailored to them.” For Soto, the initial selling point was the opportunity to create a comedic action movie full of heart. He commended both Bautista and Momoa as powerhouses of the action genre, while also praising their emotional sensibilities. “I like to tell the story through action. I like to build character through action,” Soto emphasised. “The fact that they were able – and willing – to tap into an emotional energy that’s often not explored in action movies was very satisfying.”

It’s not just the nuance and versatility of the two actors that will magnetise viewers; it’s also their undeniable on-screen chemistry – one rooted in mutual respect and a shared desire to work together. “We get along like a house on fire. We’re very similar, but we’re also different,” Momoa said. “There aren’t too many people in the industry that are big guys that can fight; that can really, really act and go there. It’s a very limited amount. I always wanted to fight Bautista.”

For Bautista, their time together on See cemented how compatible their personalities were, despite their opposing energies. “He’s like super high energy; I’m super low energy. It just works. Like, it works in real life [and] it works on film.” Both actors also spoke about the importance of shattering stereotypes, particularly as two big men in Hollywood. The chance to make audiences laugh and cry – and to break out of the traditional action mould – was a key motivator. As Bautista put it, “We’re more than just that.”

Of course, a high-octane feature like The Wrecking Crew wouldn’t be complete without an accomplished stunt team. John Valera – the film’s second unit director and stunt coordinator – was a familiar collaborator for Momoa, having worked with him on multiple projects, including A Minecraft Movie and Chief of War. Valera had also worked with Soto on Blue Beetle, as well as on action-heavy titles such as John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Birds of Prey and Thunderbolts. That shared history proved key to elevating the film’s fight sequences. “The stunt team that I’ve been with – they’ve done everything I’ve done. You have this catalogue of what we’ve done, and we always try to up the ante,” Momoa said. “We don’t regurgitate the same thing. That’s why it looks very fresh. We’re all there for each other. It’s a really nice feeling to be able to have a tight niche where you can make fun things.”

Safety was also a top priority throughout production, with familiar collaborators helping to ensure every sequence was carefully executed. “It was really reassuring to know everybody’s safety was always on the top of our minds for everything that we’re doing,” Soto said. Bautista closed on a characteristically candid note: “This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a film throughout my career. This is the most fun – and moments like that sound awful – but we were having a great time beating the hell out of each other.”

Watch the full press conference here: