WWE star John Cena recently confirmed that he officially joined the Fast and Furious 9 cast, possibly replacing the Rock, alongside returning franchise veterans Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel. His Hollywood star is clearly on the rise, but what about those persistent rumors that he’ll be part of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad cast? Well, word on the street is that Cena could be under consideration for the King Shark or Major Disaster roles, although whispers of him playing Peacemaker have also surfaced.
Cena’s alright with saying as much as he can to address the speculation. While speaking with The Wrap about his new hosting gig for Nickelodeon’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? revival, Cena hinted that things were going well for him regarding the Gunn relaunch, but he didn’t confirm or deny that he’s landed a role. Instead, he called The Suicide Squad “a tremendous opportunity for growth” and continued:
“You have to get everything buttoned up before you can make it official, I don’t want to say anything … I will just say that if that opportunity presents itself, then I will be very grateful to take it.”
The cast of Gunn’s movie is filling out nicely, even without confirmation on John Cena and whether Dave Bautista might possibly join him, which would not only put Bautistia in the DCEU and the MCU but present a compelling WWE dual angle. So far, Margot Robbie’s on board again as Harley Quinn, and several other Suicide Squad cast members are returning, including Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Viola Davis As Amanda Waller, and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg. Idris Elba will also play an as-yet-unannounced role that definitely won’t be Deadshot, since that part’s presumably being reserved by Gunn for a possible future Will Smith return to the franchise.
So, the question of Cena’s involvement is still up in the air, although it looks promising, and let’s hope (please) that this somehow leads to him chanting, “You can’t see me” while wearing a supervillain costume. The Suicide Squad will arrive in theaters on August 6, 2021.
(Via The Wrap)