Fast & Furious 9 is the biggest movie on John Cena's resume. In fact, the action title could be considered the catalyst for him finally becoming a star as much for his acting as for his wrestling. However, audiences should not overlook his pre-Fast-9 movie career.
Since 2006, Cena has appeared in action thrillers, outrageous comedies, and even a drama or two. Plenty of his films have been outstanding, with the muscular actor often being one reason as to why. Out of all of the former WWE champion's movies, though, these are the ones that stand out the most.
10 Playing With Fire (2019)
Nobody is going to claim that Playing With Fire is one of the best comedies of the 21st Century. Yet, it is a solid family flick in which John Cena stars alongside Keegan-Michael Key and John Leguizamo. The three men play an elite team of firefighters called smokejumpers, whose lives get more complicated when they're forced to care for three kids.
Throughout the movie, Cena's character, Jake, transforms from a serious individual to a more playful person. Cena does a decent job during both the humorous and heartfelt moments of the movie, bringing life to the character.
9 The Marine (2006)
John Cena's first leading role was that of John Triton in the action-packed thriller The Marine. During the movie, Triton goes on a warpath as he tries to retrieve his kidnapped wife.
The flick boasts some well-executed action sequences, as well as a menacing performance from Robert Patrick. Cena, on the other hand, is a little wooden, as the script doesn't allow him to showcase his comedic skills. However, he's a believable Terminator-like juggernaut, thanks to his physical capabilities.
8 Daddy's Home 2 (2017)
Daddy's Home 2 sees former rivals Brad and Dusty bring their families together for the holidays. The first movie is marginally better than the sequel, but Cena only makes a cameo in the original.
In the second film, the former wrestler plays the biological father of Dusty's new step-daughter, and the two dads bump heads throughout the comedy. Cena's Roger causes problems as he disapproves of his kid's new parent. He's convincing in his role as the cool, badass dad.
7 Ferdinand (2017)
A few famous people lend their voices to characters in the animated comedy Ferdinand, including Peyton Manning, David Tennant, and Kate McKinnon. Among these stars, John Cena takes the lead role as the titular character.
Ferdinand is a good-natured bull that is taken away from his home and pushed into the bullfighting world. His goal is to escape with all of his newfound friends. It's one of the most prominent voice-acting roles of Cena's career so far, and he showcases some real vocal talent throughout the movie.
6 Sisters (2015)
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey team up once again, in this comedy about two sisters who throw one last house party. As for Cena, he's a tattooed drug dealer who attends the wild event.
When doing comedy, Cena is usually heavily animated and over the top. Yet in this role, his character remains very straight-faced, and the actor proves that he is very capable of deadpan humor. In fact, he's the funniest part of a decent movie.
5 The Wall (2017)
There have been so many war films over the years that it's difficult for any to be unique. However, Director Doug Liman and Writer Dwain Worrell managed to deliver a compelling and original tale in The Wall.
The intense thriller sees two American soldiers get pinned down by an opposition sniper. One of the soldiers is laid out in the open after sustaining an injury. As for the other American, he must hide behind a wall while he talks to both his companion and the man with the sniper rifle. As there are only three characters, it's up to them to carry the movie. They do a strong job, including Cena, who portrays the injured soldier.
4 Tour De Pharmacy (2017)
Tour De Pharmacy is an outrageous mockumentary that pokes fun at the use of doping in professional cycling. The movie includes a mix of footage from a fictional version of the 1982 Tour De France, alongside comedic interviews with fans and those involved. John Cena plays a cyclist known as Gustav Ditters, who's suspiciously gotten much bigger since the last time people saw him.
The over-the-top nature of the comedy and story fits the actor well, and he's entertaining throughout the movie. He shares the screen with many other well-known faces such as Andy Samberg, Jeff Goldblum, and even Lance Armstrong. The excellent cast makes Tour De Pharmacy one of the most hilarious mockumentaries around.
3 Blockers (2018)
So many teen comedies follow a bunch of boys as they try to get laid. Blockers, however, subverts the genre trope by replacing the boys with girls who are attempting to hook up on Prom night.
Their parents are too fond of the kids' plans, though, and try desperately to keep them pure. John Cena portrays one of these parents, and is very convincing as a ridiculous suburban dad. Not to mention, he shares great comedic chemistry with Leslie Mann and Ike Barinholtz.
2 Bumblebee (2019)
Live-action Transformers movies haven't always been critical successes, yet Bumblebee is actually a fun watch. The plot is simpler than most, as it just follows one of the strongest Autobots that befriends a teenager. The titular machine spends the movie defending itself from both Decepticons and Sector Seven.
John Cena's Jack Burns is a high-ranking agent at Sector Seven, very distrustful of Transformers from either side. Humans aren't usually great in these movies, but Burns adds to the spectacle more than he detracts.
1 Trainwreck (2015)
Trainwreck is about a free-spirited commitment-phobe, who falls for a kind-hearted and witty orthopedic surgeon. The comedy-drama is supposed to be a vehicle for Amy Schumer, who wrote and stars in the piece. However, a humorous supporting cast, including John Cena, are the ones who steal the show.
Cena plays Amy's boyfriend early in the movie, and does so hilariously. From delivering bizarre threats to providing even stranger dirty talk, it's the best display of Cena's talents outside of a wrestling ring.