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 mainstream Hollywood action genre. The following list is proof that Cena has a lot in store for us, and if you are his fan, 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. Peacemaker Season 2 (2025)
The success of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 1 has made WarnerMedia and HBO Max greenlight Season 2 of this superhero series headlined by the DC Comics anti-hero/Captain America caricature Christopher Smith/Peacemaker, played to perfection by John Cena. The main cast is expected to make a return in the 7-episode series, although there is still time for that as DC head/show creator James Gunn has stated that the series will arrive after ‘Superman: Legacy’ (July 11, 2025) but precede the events of the series ‘Waller’ that will explore Viola Davis’s character Amanda Waller, the one responsible for the Suicide Squad and its actions. ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 will be a part of Gunn’s DC Universe Chapter One. The returning cast includes Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Harcourt, Steve Agee as Economos, and Danielle Brooks as Adebayo. Basically, Season 2 is set to arrive in the second half of 2025 but a specific release date is awaited.
2. Heads Of State (TBA)
Even though the plot of this Amazon Studios action thriller is under wraps, the movie has potentially pitch-perfect casting per se, with stars like John Cena, Idris Elba, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas involved. Ilya Naishuller of ‘Nobody’ fame is the director of the movie, which is based on a script by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec, with an initial draft by Harrison Query. Both Elba and Jonas have proved their niche for action with ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’ and ‘Citadel’ respectively. That said, Cena is no stranger to action either.
Moreover, Elba and Cena have worked together in James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ so the audience is well aware of their on-screen chemistry. Overall, we can expect a power-packed, high-octane action thriller. Things will get even more interesting if one of the leads is on the other side of the law. The rest of the cast includes Jack Quaid, Carla Gugino, Paddy Considine, Richard Coyle, Sarah Niles, Huw Novelli, and Katrina Durden. Elba and Cena are executive producers as well. The movie is in its post-production phase, and further updates about the release date are awaited.
3. 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, 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.
4. Killer Vacation (TBA)
‘Killer Vacation’ is an action comedy that will bring Jason Momoa and John Cena together after their last outing as foes in ‘Fast X,’ the 10th installment of the Fast and Furious franchise. The plot is currently under wraps, but we can tell you that the movie is currently in its scripting stage, with Brian and Mark Gunn, siblings of director James Gunn, working on it.
Cena and Momoa are in charge of significant roles in the DC Extended Universe; Cena is Christopher Smith, AKA Peacemaker, and Momoa is Arthur Curry, AKA Aquaman. However, they wanted to carry forward the chemistry that they forged on the sets of ‘Fast X’ to other movies. Since the Warner Bros. Discovery production is in its scripting stage, updates about the director, the rest of the cast, or the release date are awaited.
5. Matchbox (TBA)
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, with Cena as the only confirmed cast member. The script will be penned by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper.
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 took birth. Today, 70 years later, two Matchbox cars are sold every second. The film is in its early stages of development, and more details are awaited.
6. Officer Exchange (TBA)
Besides ‘Killer Vacation,’ Cena is part of another action comedy penned by Ben Zazove and Evan Turner. The story revolves around a cop named Shepherd, AKA Shep, who teams up with an Indian police officer to bring down a diamond smuggling racket in India. The actor is roped in to appear as the leading man, Shep, and also serves as an executive producer. The Amazon Studios production is still in its developmental stages, with Cena executive producing it as well. It is receiving treatment based on a script by Evan Turner and Ben Zazove. Further updates about the director, the rest of the cast, the production, and the release date are still awaited.
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