After recently voicing a loveable bull in animated family film Ferdinand, and soon to be seen as a jovial dad in the upcoming Blockers, professional-wrestler-turned-actor John Cena has just entered talks for the role he was born to play; Duke Nukem.
A wise-cracking beefcake, who hops through time chomping on cigars and battling aliens, Duke Nukem is the politically incorrect action hero of the video game series which shares its protagonists name, and it’s not hard to see Cena filling the role. He’s clearly buff enough for Duke, and has all the comedic energy to pull-off the classic bravado which made him not just an amalgamation of action-hero tropes, but a likeable character in his own right.
Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes studio is set to produce the Duke Nukem movie, though it’s still in the very early stages; as aside from being used a potential vehicle for Cena nothing else is set-up; there’s no writer, or director in place at the time of writing.
Cena will soon be back on the big screen however, with the upcoming comedy Blockers (released 30 March), and as Agent Burns in the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee (released 26 December). He can also be heard voicing Baron Draxum in the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series.
