John Cena‘s role in Bumblebee may have slipped your mind, but G.I. Joe producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura hasn’t forgotten, hinting at its significance as he discussed the future of the Transformers franchise.
Per ScreenRant, Bonaventura addressed fan theories about Agent Jack Burns, the character Cena played in the Transformers prequel Bumblebee, being the alter ego to Duke in G.I. Joe.
“I can deny that, but I could see why you’d feel that because he does have some of that energy if you would. I’d love to work with John again. He’s fantastic, and hopefully, we can bring him back into the series.”
The topic came up as Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, the sequel to Bumblebee, will premiere on June 9. Cena does not appear in the film, but his potential return to the franchise might lead to further exploration of the Sector 7 storyline. Bumblebee was a success, but it also has the lowest box office numbers of the franchise. Nevertheless, the film garnered positive reviews.
Cena starred in Bumblebee in 2018 opposite Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Ortiz, and Pamela Adlon. Justin Theroux and Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett appear in voice roles for The Decepticons. The iconic WWE wrestler has appeared in several other films, including The Marine, Trainwreck, F9, Suicide Squad, and Fast X.
Bonaventura and G.I. Joe: Retaliation director Jon M. Chu have teased the idea of integrating the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises. However, Paramount Pictures has been reticent about the concept due to the box office failure of Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins. Of course, things could change depending on the box office performance of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Never say never.
And don’t worry if you’re someone who does not find John Cena’s film performances especially memorable because even if you forget, Lorenzo di Bonaventura will remember.