Movie stars come from a variety of backgrounds, including TV, commercials, and theater. But in the modern-day, many of the most beloved and successful movie stars first became known as athletes in World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE.
Currently, the second highest-grossing actor in all of cinema is Dwayne Johnson, the beloved star of the Fast and The Furious and Jumanji franchises as well as Moana. Johnson was first introduced to fans as WWE superstar "The Rock," and he is far from the only wrestler to break into Hollywood, begging the question, what is it about WWE and modern films that makes this leap possible?
WWE began life almost 70 years ago under several other names, most notably the World Wrestling Federation, the name it held until 2002. The sports entertainment empire has held onto an intensely devoted fan base, which has wavered in size over the years, sometimes becoming an immensely powerful pop-cultural force. Now is not one of those times, viewership has trended downward over the past several years, 2013 was the last considerable high point in TV views and Google trends. Of the stars that have grown forth from the WWE, many of them have completely eclipsed their old home.
WWE performers breaking out of the ring and into Hollywood is not a brand new phenomenon; the unique aspect of the modern crossover is success. Dozens of superstars have appeared in films, and many of them have even had films built around them. WWE legend Kane starred in a low-budget horror film entitled See No Evil in which he played a dangerous psychopath. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin appeared in a couple of small roles before starring in the WWE-produced action film The Condemned. The WWE also produced a reboot to the long-running Leprechaun series starring Dylan "Hornswoggle" Postal. While these films did center WWE stars, they also failed outright, earning little returns and awful critical reception.
The previous golden period for wrestlers on film was the 80s, wherein WWE superstars netted parts in beloved classics that defined the performers' careers. Jessie "The Body" Ventura has been a tag-team champion, the governor of Minnesota, and of course, he starred as Blaine in the American classic Predator. Andre the Giant played the fan-favorite side character Fezzik in the classic film The Princess Bride. The standout example was Hulk Hogan, who made the "Hollywood Hulkster" label accurate with film roles from Rocky 3 to Suburban Commando. Despite some well-known roles in some genuine quality films, most of the WWE stars were venerated more as character actors than leading men.
The current movie stars who rose up from the WWE are best exemplified by 3 examples; John Cena, Dave Bautista, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Cena first entered the film world following the go-to model for WWE stars in the early 2000s: poorly received action films like 12 Rounds, before headlining studio comedies like 2018's Blockers, eventually starring in both F9 and The Suicide Squad this year.
Dave Bautista is best known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he also stars in action-comedy Stuber and holds a smaller role in Blade Runner: 2049. He'll also be appearing in the upcoming Dune adaptation from Denis Villeneuve. Dwayne Johnson needs no introduction, The Rock is Hollywood's go-to action star from Rampage to Baywatch. Any one of these three eclipse Hogan, the previous most successful wrestler in film by leaps and bounds, and the confluence of the three is a trend worth discussing.
WWE provides a unique style of entertainment: one part athletics, one part sequential live theatre. The performers who populate the ranks of the WWE are actors, and this is not up for debate. Those who have never experienced WWE content may not be aware, but the weekly TV outings and the WrestleMania events carry a long-running and ever-evolving narrative. The plot varies wildly in quality as it centers around dozens of characters at a time, constantly shifting based on who is popular. In addition, the physical demands of the job are intense. The stunts are partially fake, but what is done practically is incredible. This confluence of elements creates a clear preparedness for the life of an action film star. But if WWE is the perfect training ground, why did previous generations' superstars fail to gain traction while the current ones gain incredible success?
The obvious argument is one of quality, perhaps John Cena and Dwayne Johnson are just better actors than Hulk Hogan or Kane were. While this is almost certainly true, the ecosystem of WWE has part of the responsibility as well. The WWE has always been a charisma-based economy, the superstars that become beloved are those that are the most likable, and in the age of social media, that has become more immediately measurable than ever. Cena recently announced he'll be returning to the ring on social media. Vocal fans have been able to change the direction of the WWE storyline with their excitement or outrage. Fans of WWE are extremely committed and the audience is likely to follow beloved performers from the ring to the theater, with that in mind, there is a built-in fan base.
In the modern age, franchise media is the hottest thing in cinema. Filmmakers are often reticent to take a risk on a new IP when it can be so much more profitable to lean on already well-liked ideas. This ecosystem is perfect for performers who are not only already beloved, but who come from a world that vets them as both charismatic and believable in action. Wrestling has swiftly become a great place to find fan favorites that filmmakers could draw from to increase a film's fan base and profile. This carries pros and cons, but its clear that the best performers will rise to the top and the lesser ones will see themselves out.
WWE superstars finding their way onto the blockbuster screen is clearly a fun phenomenon that is here to stay. WWE performers are proven actors, action stars and have shown their chops in the harshest of live theater scenarios. Fans will be thrilled to see which superstar is next to make the leap.