Long before his days as Peacemaker, actor John Cena faced rejection when he tried to bag a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC universe. Cena began his career as a wrestler and then slowly transitioned towards acting.
His work as Peacemaker is outstanding and it’s hard to imagine any other actor playing the iconic role. He finally got the role after so many attempts and now, he has proved that he has to ability to portray a wide range of characters. The actor has also appeared in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as the Transformers franchise.
John Cena wanted to play Shazam
In January 2022, actor John Cena appeared on The Happy Sad Confused podcast and revealed that he is a huge fan of Shazam and he wanted to play the character. The actor told Josh Horowitz,
“I can’t tell you how many superhero roles I’ve been rejected for. Shazam is certainly one. I think like a child, so Shazam was super interesting to me…And when I read the script, a lot of times, like… this is the thing, I don’t chase ‘I want to do this,’ I always have to read it.”
Actor Zachary Levi then played Shazam in 2019’s Shazam! and reprised his role for 2023’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
John Cena also got rejected by Marvel
Further in the interview, Cena revealed that he tried to bag a role in the Deadpool universe and the MCU, however, he once again faced rejection. He said,
“There was a brief try at the Deadpool universe, rejection. There were a few in the Marvel universe, rejected. But you know, I keep trying.”
The actor wanted to play Cable but unfortunately, he didn’t get the role. Despite having a muscular frame, the actor struggled to bag a role in a superhero movie.
John Cena got the role of Peacemaker
After struggling for so long, Cena finally got a role in the DC universe. He first appeared as Christopher Smith / Peacemaker in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. He then reprised his role in James Gunn’s 2022 TV series, Peacemaker. The actor reportedly got $7 million for his work in The Suicide Squad and $500,000 for the first season of Peacemaker.
Cena’s dedication, work ethic, and connection with the audience have solidified his place as one of the most iconic and beloved figures in the entertainment industry.
Related: John Cena’s Peacemaker Co-Star Rumored to Appear in James Gunn’s Superman Movie With David Corenswet
Source: The Happy Sad Confused podcast
