With his chiseled jaw, massive frame and reputation for being a clean cut good guy for almost the entirety of his run as a professional wrestler, it would have been easy for John Cena to chase the action hero dream. While he has to a certain extent, lending support in Fast & Furious 9 as Jakob Toretto to become the latest WWE alumni to join the family, he’s much better as a comic actor than he is playing it straight.
It’s no coincidence that the majority of his best performance have come when he ventures outside of his comfort zone, whether it be a self-obsessed cameo in Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, a tattooed drug dealer in Sisters or a scheming father in Blockers. The Suicide Squad‘s Peacemaker might be his best turn yet, with Cena playing the role as a walking embodiment of hypocrisy, who has no issues killing as many men, women and children as possible in the name of liberty.
As you can see below, fans have been getting a kick out of Peacemaker ever since The Suicide Squad started rolling out internationally last week, with James Gunn’s R-rated superhero blockbuster now playing in domestic theaters and on HBO Max.
Cena may have had to change his performance on the first day of shooting under Gunn’s instructions, but the filmmaker was clearly enamored with what the 44 year-old brought to the table having penned him his own solo series, which recently wrapped production and is set to premiere on HBO Max in January 2022. The Suicide Squad is a great showcase for what Peacemaker has in store, and it’s scene-stealing work in a movie brimming with multiple memorable figures.