Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Fans were close to witnessing John Cena alongside the hilarious Ryan Reynolds inDeadpool 2. The former professional wrestler made his first superhero (or supervillain) appearance inThe Suicide Squad. Following the film’s success, Cena also got a standalone series for his character, Peacemaker. The series created by James Gunn received high praise from DC fans and featured a record-breaking finale episode.
John Cena’s other famous franchise roles include Jakob Toretto in theFast & Furiousfilm series and Jack Burns in theTransformersfilm series. However, theBlockersactor faced rejection in a number of superhero roles, despite having the physique and fanbase ideal for such roles.
Also Read:“I tend to get ahead of myself”: Marvel Star Hailee Steinfeld Has a Disappointing Update on The Best Transformers Movie Sequel With John Cena That Failed at Box Office
John Cena Was Rejected From Marvel Projects, Including Ryan Reynolds’Deadpool 2
John Cena’s potential for a superhero role was recognized by fans long before filmmakers, as there were several fan requests to cast him in various superhero roles. Despite starring in some hit movies and proving his acting chops, theBumblebeeactor had to wait until 2021’sThe Suicide Squadto finally step into a superhero role.
The Marineactor was asked about the same when he appeared on theHappy Sad Confusedpodcast with Josh Horowitz. The host wanted to know whether there were any near-miss experiences with superhero roles, specifically mentioningShazam!. Cena revealed that he was rejected from multiple superhero roles he had set his sights on, including Marvel projects. Cena particularly namedRyan Reynolds’Deadpool 2as one missed project. TheF9actor toldJosh Horowitz:
“I can’t tell you how many superhero roles I’ve been rejected for. Shazam is certainly one. But there was a brief try at the Deadpool Universe. Rejection. […] There was a few in the Marvel Universe. Rejected. But, you know, I kept trying…”
When pressed about whether it was the role of Cable that he was turned down for inDeadpool 2, Cena confirmed it. However, he did not go into details about the other Marvel roles that slipped through his grasp.
Also Read:Is John Cena Richer Than Marvel Star Dave Bautista? Net Worth Comparison Reveals Startling Result
James Gunn Gave John Cena A Chance After DC Previously Rejected Him ForShazam!
When questioned about which superhero role he had badly wanted to play, John Cena revealed that he liked the childish character of Shazam. Comparing the role to the basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, theFast Xactor revealed his interest in playing the role. However, he further added that he usually insisted on reading the script before pursuing roles of interest.
However, one exception to his usual role selection process was whenJames Gunnoffered him thePeacemakerrole. Calling Gunn a reputed storyteller, Cena shared that the casting forPeacemakerhappened almost by accident. TheHidden Strikeactor was not the first choice on Gunn’s long list but finalized him after a short meeting. Cena shared withJosh Horowitz:
“We sat down in his pre-production office, which was literally like a war headquarters where you could see the whole movie in posterboard taped around his office, and he started talking about Peacemaker, and he’s like, ‘I think you should do it.’ So I’m not rejected? They usually say, like, ‘Hey, love you man, but we’re just going in another direction.’”
Also Read:“This crowd of 14,000 erupted with the roar of 100,000 strong”: Dwayne Johnson Thanks John Cena’s WWE Rival For “Top 5 loudest crowd reaction of my career”
Fans eagerly wait for season 2 of the hit seriesPeacemaker, especially after Gunn announced that it would be a part of the new DCU.Peacemaker Season 1is now available for streaming on Max.
Source:Josh Horowitz – YouTube
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3021
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
