WWE wrestler Dave Bautista has been cast as Drax the Destroyer in "Guardians of the Galaxy."

Following the casting of "Parks and Recreation" and "Zero Dark Thirty" star Chris Pratt as Peter Quill in James Gunn's "Guardians of the Galaxy," fans have been waiting with bated breath for the next actor to get drafted into protecting the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It seems the wait is over, as The Hollywood Reporter reports WWE wrester Dave Bautista has been cast in the film as Drax the Destroyer. Bautista was on the short list to play the green-skinned alien brawler along with Isaiah Mustafa, Patrick Wade and Jason Momoa, who was rumored to have dropped out of negotiations last month.

As a member of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning's take on the Guardians of the Galaxy, Drax first appeared in the 1970s as a human in the body of an alien to combat Thanos, before being killed in the '80s and resurrected in the '90s . The character's powers include strength, flight and concussive blasts. He was also the subject of a recent Marvel Infinite Comic by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming that described how he came back to the Marvel NOW! relaunch of the team.

Directed by James Gunn, the space adventure is also expected to include Groot, the extraterrestrial tree monster; Rocket Raccoon, the fearless genetically altered raccoon; and Gamora, the most dangerous woman in the universe.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" opens August 1, 2014