While it’s true that his wrestling catchphrase was “You can’t see me,” but we’re going to be seeing a whole lot more of Mr. Hustle, Loyalty, & Respect with all these upcoming John Cena movies and TV shows. Over the past decade, Cena has transformed himself from one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time into a major player in some of the best action movies with unforgettable moments in the Fast & Furious franchise, one of the best DC characters in recent memory with his take on Peacemaker, and various other comedies that have given him a chance to show off his comedic chops.
And it doesn’t look like the wrestler-turned-actor is going anywhere anytime soon, as there are a ton of upcoming John Cena movies, TV shows, and perhaps even appearances at some future WWE events before the year is out. Let’s take a look now…
Jackpot - August 15, 2024
Before the summer is over, John Cena will share the screen with Awkwafina and Barbie co-star Simu Liu in Paul Feig’s upcoming action comedy, Jackpot. In the movie, Cena will take on the role of Noel, a jackpot protector who agrees to protect a woman named Katie (Awkwafina) after she wins the California lottery. So, why does a lottery winner need protection?
The movie, which becomes available for anyone with an Amazon subscription on August 15, 2024, happens to be set in a universe in which anyone can claim a winning lottery ticket if they can find and kill the ticketholder by sundown, per EW. To make matters even worse, Katie and Noel are being tracked by Louis Lewis (Liu), a rival jackpot protector who wants to take all the cash for himself. This sounds wild.
Heads Of State - TBD
Remember a few summers ago when John Cena and Idris Elba made The Suicide Squad one of the best comic book movies in recent memory? Well, the pair are going to give it another go in the long-in-the-works action movie at some point in the future, but Amazon Studios hasn’t announced exactly when. Back in October 2020, THR reported that the pair of action stars were going to lead the project, but their roles weren’t revealed at the time.
Nearly three years later, in May 2023, Deadline reported that the project was alive and well and would also feature the likes of Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Paddy Considine, Stephen Root, Carla Gugino, Jack Quaid, Sarah Niles, and several others. And while plot details have been kept under wraps, the outlet described the film as “Air Force One meets Midnight Run.”
When speaking with Collider in April 2024, Elba described Heads of State, one of his many upcoming films, as an “Incredible Adventure,” which has us all jazzed up.
Peacemaker Season 2 - TBD
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but Peacemaker Season 2 is on the way at some point in the not-so-distant future, and you bet your ass John Cena is going to be back as Christopher Smith. The follow-up to the incredibly popular, fun-to-watch, and violent Max original series, which further explored Cena’s character from The Suicide Squad, sounds like it’s going to be just as ridiculous as what’s come before, and honestly, that’s some very good news.
It looks like the Peacemaker Season 2 cast will feature a lot of those familiar faces from the first go-around, but now we just need to figure out how each will play into the show’s new title sequence (no pressure, right?). That said, production has already gotten started, so be on the lookout for information on this upcoming John Cena TV show.
One Final WWE Run?
After John Cena showed up in the WrestleMania XL main event (along with so many others), fans have been wondering when we’ll see the decorated wrestler again in the future and if it will be his last run. During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show the day after WrestleMania in April 2024, Cena said he still has “a little bit of rubber left on the tires” before hanging up the proverbial boots, adding that he “put a line in the sand” for himself at 50. He’s currently 47 years old.
Cena would later go on to make some cryptic comments in an interview with People where he said the “sun’s setting on that chapter in the book.” However, you never know what to believe about the former WWE Champion, as anyone who follows him on social media knows, he likes to play games.
Coyote Vs. Acme - TBD
Coyote vs. Acme, one of several movies Warner Bros. Discovery has been trying to shelve over the past couple of years, very well may never happen. However, until the film’s fate has been decided and all prints of it are locked away in the water tower like the Animaniacs, there is still hope we’ll see the live-action/animated comedy in which the iconic Looney Tunes character decides to sue the Acme Corporation after years of the products failing to help him capture the Road Runner.
If the movie ever sees the light of day, we’ll be able to see John Cena take on the Acme Corporation’s lawyer as he spars in court with Wile E. Coyote’s lawyer (played by Will Forte). And for the sake of diehard Looney Tunes fans and newcomers alike, we really hope this movie comes out.
The Janson Directive - TBD
Another project involving John Cena that has been in the works for some time now is The Janson Directive, the film adaptation of Robert Ludlum's 2002 novel of the same name. Cena's one-time WWE rival Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was originally attached to star in the lead role, but abandoned the project in 2018, at which point his WrestleMania 28 and 29 opponent stepped in and took over. At the time of the announcement, it was revealed that Johnson would stay on as an executive producer of the movie.
For those not aware of the novel, it centers around Paul Johnson, an ex-Navy SEAL and United States spy who goes on the run after a mission goes awry. The role of a former member of the military is right up John Cena's alley as he got his start in the WWE-produced The Marine in 2006, and the 2017 military thriller The Wall. But with no new information on the status of The Janson Directive, we'll have to check back on this one in the future.
Expect to hear much more about all of these upcoming John Cena movies and TV shows in the coming weeks and months, but in the meantime don’t forget to take a look at our breakdown of the 2024 movie schedule.
