With information of Seth Rollins becoming a member of the MCU, in addition to WWE superstars Charlotte Flair and Liv Morgan set to make an look within the upcoming movie, Queen of the Ring, it is no secret that Hollywood has all the time had a long-standing relationship with the wrestling world. Known for his or her skill to behave within the ring, skilled wrestlers can discover it simple to shift into completely different personas, particularly on a film set.
While not all movies that includes professional wrestlers have discovered success, that hasn’t stopped producers from casting them in varied roles over time, and listed here are simply 12 choices amongst many who show the game may have Tinseltown in a headlock for a very long time to return.
12 Ready to Rumble (2000)
In the dying days of WCW, they had been making an attempt something they may to remain related, which included having a slew of its stars seem in Ready to Rumble, a film about two greatest buddies who function a sewage truck happening a quest to assist their wrestling idol get again that which he as soon as misplaced.
Directed by Brian Robbins, the movie featured such WCW icons as Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, Sting, Booker T, and Randy Savage to call a couple of. While the film bombed on the field workplace, it is most notable for kick-starting a wrestling storyline that noticed Hollywood star David Arquette go on to really win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. It additionally featured the debut of John Cena, who hadn’t but turned his consideration to professional wrestling, however appeared as an uncredited additional in a health club scene.
11 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
One of probably the most well-loved movies within the MCU debuted in theaters on August 1st, 2014, and featured WWE celebrity Dave Bautista in his breakout position as Drax the Destroyer. Stealing nearly each scene he was in with quirky one-liners and his imposing demeanor, Guardians of the Galaxy would go on to turn into the third highest-grossing movie of the yr, crushed solely by The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and Transformers: Age of Extinction.
For Bautista, it will show to be a launching floor for his appearing profession. While he is appeared as Drax a number of extra occasions in MCU sequels, he is additionally gone on to be an amazing character actor, showing in such movies as Blade Runner 2049, Dune, and Knock on the Cabin. With his skilled wrestling profession within the rearview mirror, issues are trying nearly as good as they ever have for Dave Bautista, although he has mentioned he’s completed showing in Marvel motion pictures.
10 They Live (1988)
Directed by John Carpenter, They Live starred WWE celebrity Roddy Piper as a drifter who, after discovering a pair of particular sun shades, discovers that a lot of the ruling class are literally aliens manipulating humanity by way of subliminal messages within the media. Teaming up with Keith David’s character, Frank, the pair look to take down the aliens and thwart their dastardly plan to empty Earth of all its assets.
Piper was solid because the lead within the movie after Carpenter met him at WrestleMania 3 in 1987. Featuring a drawn-out struggle scene between Piper’s unnamed drifter character and Keith David, They Live is fondly remembered for Roddy’s often-quoted line, “I’ve come right here to chew bubblegum and kick ass, and I’m all out of bubblegum,” which he got here up with himself. Piper would go on to have an extended profession within the motion pictures earlier than his dying in 2015.
9 See No Evil (2006)
As the primary main movie produced by recently-formed WWE Studios, See No Evil starred wrestler Glenn Jacobs, higher identified to followers as Kane, portraying a psychotic killer who terrorizes a gaggle of petty criminals simply making an attempt to scrub up an previous resort as a part of their group service.
Ripe with horror clichés and predictable scares, See No Evil definitely wasn’t going to win any awards, however at the least it made its a reimbursement, grossing $18.6 million worldwide with a finances of $8 million. Jacobs would go on to reprise his position as Jacob Goodnight in a straight-to-DVD sequel, See No Evil 2, directed by the Soska Sisters and launched in 2014. Kane hasn’t been seen within the wrestling world since 2022, and is at the moment the mayor of Knox County, Tennessee, the place he is been in workplace since 2018.
8 The Princess Bride (1987)
Based on William Goldman’s 1973 novel of the identical title, The Princess Bride starred Cary Elwes as Westley, a swashbuckling farmhand searching for to rescue Princess Buttercup from the repulsive Prince Humperdink. The movie featured the eighth surprise of the world, André the Giant, within the position of Fezzik, who would provide anyone a peanut.
While André was all the time Goldman’s first option to painting Fezzik, others had been thought-about, together with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Lou Ferrigno. Even Liam Nissan auditioned to play the half, however he was too quick. A deal was finally struck, paving the way in which for André to settle into the position. Worried that his fellow solid members would view him as some type of freak as a result of his dimension, he was pleasantly shocked after they handled him as simply one other actor, which made the expertise all of the extra gratifying for the lovable large.
7 The Main Event (2020)
This household providing from Netflix starred Seth Carr as 11-year-old Leo, who finds a magical masks that enables him to enter a contest to meet his dream of turning into a WWE celebrity. This lighthearted sports activities comedy was produced by WWE Studios and launched on the streaming platform on April tenth, 2020.
The Main Event additionally featured such WWE mainstays as The Miz, Sheamus, and Kofi Kingston, and was seen by some critics as nothing greater than a advertising and marketing device for the promotion because it seems to increase into the streaming market. Regardless, it was enjoyable for what it was and served its function of entertaining younger wrestling followers.
6 The Marine (2006)
Featuring WWE legend John Cena in his appearing debut, The Marine follows John Triton disobeying direct orders to go on a solo mission to rescue hostages earlier than they are often beheaded by Al-Qaeda. Directed by John Bonito, it was launched to theaters on October thirteenth, 2006.
Panned by critics, The Marine is a kind of motion motion pictures that’s so unhealthy it is good, because it tapped into the fears of America on the time when terrorism was operating rampant within the media. It has since gone on to spawn a number of sequels, additionally starring a WWE celebrity in Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. Cena has gone on to have a profitable profession in Hollywood, showing within the Fast and Furious franchise, in addition to being part of the DCU as The Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad and an HBO collection of the identical title.
5 Spider-Man (2002)
Starring Tobey Maguire because the titular character, Spider-Man was a field workplace sensation in 2002, turning into the primary movie to surpass the $100 million greenback mark in a single weekend, breaking a file held beforehand by Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone which noticed a gap weekend gross of $90.3 million {dollars}.
Early within the movie, there’s an look by former WWE and WCW celebrity “Macho Man” Randy Savage portraying Bonesaw McGraw, a personality based mostly on Crusher Hogan within the comics. An over-the-top struggle scene ensues that sees Peter Parker emerge victorious within the wrestling match, however he is shortly cheated out of his winnings by the promoter. This units off a sequence of occasions that results in Uncle Ben being killed. Though Savage had appeared in a number of TV reveals earlier than Spider-Man, this was his most memorable Hollywood position. He would go on to do largely voiceover work earlier than his dying in 2011.
4 Fighting with My Family (2019)
Starring Florence Pugh, Fighting with My Family is a sports activities biopic in regards to the life {of professional} wrestler Saraya “Paige” Bevis that follows her trials and tribulations as she makes her option to the WWE.
With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson‘s Seven Bucks Productions having a hand in producing the movie, he additionally makes an look within the film, as do superstars Big Show, Sheamus, and The Miz. Received favorably by critics, Fighting with My Family foregoes the apparent wrestling clichés and presents a movie with coronary heart, and likewise encompasses a breakout efficiency by Pugh portraying Paige.
3 The Condemned (2007)
Another WWE Studios manufacturing, The Condemned stars “Stone Cold” Steve Austin as convict Jack Conrad, a person pressured to struggle 9 different prisoners to the dying in a twisted actuality TV present being illegally broadcast to the general public.
Featuring Austin in his first starring position, The Condemned is a wildly outrageous motion film remembered for its gratuitous violence. Though it is no cinematic masterpiece, followers of the style completely beloved it on the time regardless of its field workplace failure. A sequel starring WWE celebrity Randy Orton was launched in 2015. Austin would go on to be featured in a number of extra motion roles, and may at the moment be seen on Stone Cold Takes on America on the A&E community.
2 Rocky 3 (1982)
Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky III marks the third entry within the well-liked movie collection and sees Rocky face off in opposition to Clubber Lang, portrayed by Mr. T. Along the way in which, he does battle with skilled wrestler Thunderlips, with Hulk Hogan starring within the position.
At the time, the mindset in skilled wrestling was that in the event you had been a wrestler, you had been a wrestler. Not a movie or TV star. As such, Hogan was fired from the WWE (WWF again then) after agreeing to take the position supplied to him by Stallone. It was the appropriate transfer, as Thunderlips elevated his standing past the wrestling ring. He would later be welcomed again by the promotion and go on to turn into the most important wrestling star of the ’80s. As for his profession in Hollywood, Hogan would star in a bunch of household movies, in addition to play himself in varied TV spots.
1 Fast and Furious 6 (2013)
After turning into filthy wealthy in Fast Five, Dominic Toretto and his gang are scattered throughout the globe earlier than being introduced collectively by DSS agent Luke Hobbs to take down a mercenary group in alternate for full pardons for his or her crimes.
Fast and Furious 6 marked WWE celebrity Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s second look within the well-liked franchise. No stranger to Hollywood, he had already starred in such movies as The Scorpion King, The Game Plan, and Tooth Fairy. Earning a worldwide whole of $789 million {dollars} in its theatrical run, it’s at the moment the best grossing movie within the franchise exterior of North America. Though star Vin Diesel and The Rock have not all the time gotten alongside on set, the character of Hobbs did make a cameo within the newest installment, Fast and Furious 10, indicating that he shall be reprising the position within the upcoming sequels.