John Cena would be up for playing the Thing in Marvel’s upcomingFantastic Fourreboot. In the past, Michael Chiklis played the role of Ben Grimm, aka the Thing, in a pair ofFantastic Fourmovies in 2005 and 2007. Jamie Bell took over the role in 2015’sFantastic Fourreboot, which was a one-and-done performance with no sequel ever made. Marvel has since announced their plans to rebootFantastic Fouronce again for the MCU, meaning the role of the Thing is back up for grabs.
Previously, we addressed the possibility ofJohn Cenain the role of Ben Grimm with an editorial about how the actor and WWE legend would be perfect for it. The suggestion has since made its way to Cena, and it appears that one of the breakout stars ofThe Suicide Squadis open to joining the MCU withFantastic Four. From a new video Q&A with Equire, here’s what Cena said when asked if he’d consider playing the Thing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“I would consider most any-thing. I think keeping yourself open to options and different perspectives is a good way to go about life. This would simply be athingthat I would consider, because I like to keep my perspective open to newthings.”
Cena, who still performs inWWEalong with starring in blockbuster movies, can currently be seen in theaters in James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad. Marking his debut in the DCEU, Cena’s performance in the role of Peacemaker has earned high praise as one of the movie’s standout actors. He will also star in his own eight-episodePeacemakerfor HBO Max early next year, so there’s plenty more of Cena to come in the DCEU.
Meanwhile, Cena has yet to make his debut in theMCU. This seems like an inevitability now that he is consistently starring in blockbuster movies, but it’s hard to say when this could happen. There’s any number of projects in the works, both for theaters and on Disney+, that provide all kinds of opportunities to get Cena into the fold. With many fans already sold on the idea of Cena as Ben Grimm, however, it might be best to sign him up forFantastic Four.
Fantastic Fourdoesn’t have a release date, but we know it’s going to be a minute beforethe superhero foursome returnsto the big screen. It will serve as the final movie of the MCU’s Phase Four, arriving after the releases ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaandGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3in 2023. That means we won’t seeFantastic Fouruntil later that year at the earliest if not 2024. In any case, it could be a while before the movie is cast, whether or not Cena is involved.
For now, fans can watch Cena as Peacemaker in James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad, available in theaters and on HBO Max. He will return for more whenPeacemakerpremieres on HBO Max in January 2022. Cena can also be seen as an active wrestler on WWE programming available on Peacock. This news comes to us fromEsquire on YouTube.
