Shubhabrata Dutta
WWE superstar John Cena’s decision to channel his love for entertaining his fans into movies has been fruitful for both him and us. His roles in ‘The Suicide Squad,’ ‘Hidden Strike,’ ‘The Wall,’ ‘The Independent,’ and the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise have certainly added to his stardom and popularity. If his mere presence in a movie wasn’t enough, his performance as the titular jingoistic superhero in James Gunn’s ‘Peacemaker’ (a spin-off of ‘The Suicide Squad’), a character found in DC comics, loved by both viewers and critics alike, further catapulted him into the mainstream Hollywood action genre. The following list is proof that Cena has a lot in store for us, and if you are a fan of Cena, you can be relieved that you will see him a lot more in the future. Here are the upcoming movies and shows he will be a part of.
1. Coyote vs. Acme (August 28, 2026)
Retaliation by fans has forced Warner Bros. to bring to the big screen the once-shelved animated/live-action comedy movie ‘Coyote vs. Acme.’ The Dave Green directorial will show Wile E. Coyote, the legendary Looney Tunes character, file a case against dynamite manufacturer ACME, whose products have repeatedly failed during his pursuit of the Road Runner. He hires an equally unlucky lawyer, Kevin Avery, to represent him. When Kevin discovers that ACME’s current CEO is Buddy Crane, his boss from his former law firm, he decides to help Coyote win the case at any cost. Joining Cena, who plays Buddy Crane, in the cast are Will Forte as Kevin Avery, along with Lana Condor, P.J. Byrne, and Martha Kelly. The voice cast includes Jeff Bergman as Bugs Bunny, and Tucker Hawkey as Roadrunner, among others voicing popular Looney Tunes legends like Tweety and more. Post-production on the project is underway, and ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ will be released on August 28, 2026.
2. Matchbox (2026)
Apple Original Films has got its hands on ‘Matchbox,’ a live-action feature inspired by Mattel’s iconic real-world die-cast toy vehicle line. Backed by Skydance and Mattel Films, the film will be directed by Sam Hargrave. Joining Cena as cast are Danai Gurira, Sam Richardson, Daniel Bernhardt, Corey Stoll, Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, and Randeep Hooda. Jessica Biel is also rumored to be in it. David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper have penned the script. The story of the “Matchbox Cars” goes back to 1953, when automotive enthusiast Jack Odell built a toy that his daughter could take to school inside a matchbox. When her friends clamored for the toy, a brand was born. Today, 70 years later, two Matchbox cars are sold every second. The film has completed post-production and will be released in 2026.
3. Little Brother (TBA)
Cena will star alongside Eric Andre in an upcoming Netflix comedy feature titled ‘Little Brother.’ Penned by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel and helmed by Matt Spicer, the story follows a famous real estate agent whose carefully curated world is upended when his eccentric “little brother” unexpectedly arrives at his doorstep. The cast also includes Michelle Monaghan, Ben Ahlers, Christopher Meloni, Sherry Cola, and Ego Nwodim. The project is in its post-production stage, but we have yet to find out about a potential release date.
4. The Leading Man (TBA)
Cena will star alongside Kevin Hart in the Netflix action comedy movie ‘The Leading Man.’ Based on the comic book series from Jeremy Haun and B. Clay Moore. The story, adapted by Writers Jon and Erich Hoeber, follows a self-absorbed movie star (Cena) who discovers that his co-star/man in the chair (Hart) is an actual agent. He is thus forced to swallow his pride and accept that action stars aren’t really action heroes, while trying to save the world. Currently in development, ‘The Leading Man’ awaits production.
5. The Janson Directive (TBA)
Based on the 2002 novel by Jason Bourne author Robert Ludlum of the same name, the movie revolves around Paul Janson (Cena), an ex-Navy SEAL who becomes a corporate security expert and consultant after getting sick of the sanctioned killings and quitting the force. But when a rescue mission to save a VIP goes wrong, he becomes the target of a termination order beyond alteration. The only way to protect himself is to look for clues that eventually bring him to a large-scale scandal.
This Universal Pictures project will show Cena diving into action in all its seriousness, and we can expect Jason Bourne-level stuff. As per the latest reports, John Hlavin and James Vanderbilt have adapted the book for the movie, which is presently in its pre-production stage. Dwayne Johnson is producing along with Cena, which makes the project their first tag-team venture outside the ring. Further updates about the director, cast, and release date are awaited.
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