Cena the next Rock?

[wooodaddy]

I know it's just one movie but, could Cena's movie career take off and he turn out like the Rock? Is the WWE in trouble? You're thoughts...

[Undertaker666]

Depends. If The Marine does well, who knows. I'll go out on a limb and say no though. The Rock has that superstar quality to him and I don't think Cena's quite got it personally. The brief snippet of The Marine shown on Raw this week had Cena saying, "my character doesn't say much but he kicks ass" or something to that effect. Sounds to me like a typical Arnie film from the 80's (Predator, Commando, Conan etc.) so it seems like he's 20 years too late. And why didn't you bring this subject up when Kane made a movie?! :p

[Remianen]

There ain't no way. As 'Taker alluded to, the Rock has such an insanely high magnetism and appeals to people of many different demographic groups.....without pandering to any of them. Besides, Cena doesn't have the range of experiences to really spread out far from WWE. By that I mean, look at the FHM Magazine 2006 NFL Preview (the issue with Torrie Wilson on the cover). There's a story about why players from "the U" (University of Miami) dominate the NFL. Along with people like Jonathan Vilma and Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James and Bryant McKinnie, there was a little known defensive lineman who happened to play for one of the U's national championship teams named Dwayne Johnson. He's crossed over into just about every area of entertainment, so far as to have "superproducers" like Wyclef Jean asking him to guest on tracks. Cena isn't there yet and personally, I don't think he ever will be. He's okay, but he can't carry a broadcast strictly on the strength of his mic work and natural charisma. Nah, Cena will never command $15 million a picture so he'd be better off keeping his day job, such as it is. And if you saw him in Blade: Trinity, you'd know Triple H aint leavin' either. :p

[wooodaddy]

I just brought up the point seeing that Cena has had the major push and Kane has faded a little bit.... Kane is better in my opinion, but Cena is supposedly the next big, huge WWE superstar.... and I just thought if this movie did well, that he might get more movie offers, and thusfore possibly, maybe become like the rock and put WWE on the second... :p :p

[Undertaker666]

Cena has had a major push but it hasn't really worked in his favour has it! ;) I can't see WWE putting up with his crowd reactions for much longer, if heels are getting more cheers than he then you know something's wrong. Therefore I can't see him being the next Austin, Rock, Hart or Hogan despite what WWE's plans are for him. Could a Rock-like heel turn work in his favour? I have my doubts. Remianen's right aswell, after HHH's "acting" in Blade Trinity I can't see him leaving his day job! Word was that he was in line to play Conan in the next film but someone else has got the part now, probably because the producers his Blade Trinity performance. :p Last I heard though, HHH was still supposed to be in the running for the lead role in a WWE Films western they're planning on making. :eek:

[wooodaddy]

yeah, I doubt Cena will be the next big movie star, I just thought what if he did get a break in the movies than he very well could make the WWE 2nd... I totally agree with the both of you.....

[cappyboy]

You know, I'm not sure I'm ready to say the charisma issue has ever been fully answered. He's had the short-lived human tape recorder gimmick (which I liked BTW) and this rap gimmick. A rap gimmick which has succeeded beyond my wildest imagination. But therein lies the problem. I think Cena's going to be a victim of that success. Not so much because of the charisma issue. I'm not sure he's had enough asked of him to determine the true limits of his charisma. I think what's going to jump up and bite Cena is the willingness he's had to coast and the E allowing him to do it. Seeing that he's an "outsider" to the Hollywood, he's going to need to be willing to soak up another whole skill set like a sponge. In his Hollywood time, The Rock has shown that to such a degree he's been able to do action, comedy, and now with The Gridiron Gang: docudrama. But where Rock has been adaptable, Cena's shown a tendency to rest on his laurels. When Cena was a rookie, I often compared him to a young Sting. The potential John had was over-whelming. But an atmosphere of complacency has been allowed to swirl around him. Both personal and institutional. The meltdown of the Rocky Miavia gimmick may have been the best thing for Rock. It created the need for him to reverse course and adopt a character that truly let him shine. Cena's never really had that. The tape recorder thing was never a marquee gimmick. The Vanilla Ice Jr. bit is the only marquee gimmick he's ever had and it's taken him so far he's been able to get proverbially fat, dumb and happy. If anything will kill him in Hollywood, it's not so much lack of charisma as that complacency. He isn't the first potential megastar that complacency has stalled and sadly I doubt he'll be the last either.

[Remianen]

[QUOTE=cappyboy;143134]When Cena was a rookie, I often compared him to a young Sting. The potential John had was over-whelming. But an atmosphere of complacency has been allowed to swirl around him. Both personal and institutional. The meltdown of the Rocky Miavia gimmick may have been the best thing for Rock. It created the need for him to reverse course and adopt a character that truly let him shine. Cena's never really had that. The tape recorder thing was never a marquee gimmick. The Vanilla Ice Jr. bit is the only marquee gimmick he's ever had and it's taken him so far he's been able to get proverbially fat, dumb and happy. If anything will kill him in Hollywood, it's not so much lack of charisma as that complacency. He isn't the first potential megastar that complacency has stalled and sadly I doubt he'll be the last either.[/QUOTE] You're right. From everything I've heard, The Rock was literally a sponge on the set of 'Be Cool'. Surrounded by such accomplished actors as Travolta, DeVito, Keitel, and Woods, he spent hours talking to them and watching how they handled their business. Plus, you have to remember, the Rock's first two roles weren't starring vehicles. He had bit parts and/or extended cameos playing himself or people he knew intimately (like when he played his father on 'That 70s Show') before he played The Scorpion King. But even in those bit roles, he exudes a unique charisma. That's something Cena doesn't have. Plus, remember, post-Rocky Maivia, The Rock character is just Dwayne Johnson "with the volume turned way up" so it wasn't much of a stretch for him to BE The Rock. In a manner of speaking, this is the same as resting on your laurels because you're not challenging yourself. ANYONE could play an exaggerated form of themselves. The difference is, The Rock took that and subtly changed it every so often to keep it somewhat fresh. Then he segued into the Hollywood movie star persona (with the rock concerts) and kept evolving it. Cena doesn't have nearly that level of creativity, not to mention the charisma (which was even evident when Dwayne Johnson was 'Flex Kavana'. I don't see that kind of ability from 'The Prototype'.). I just think that even if The Marine does $100 million, it would be a mistake for Cena to leave his day job. Especially since he hasn't accomplished much as a wrestler anyway. If he left, many of WWE's fans would be like "good riddance". Was that the same attitude when The Rock left?

[Jon of iPwn]

I don't think John Cena is a good wrestler at all so I hope his movie does well and he chooses acting as a better career path. He is unentertaining in the ring, and he would make a crappy champion. Right now in the WWE no one would make a better champion than Edge so I would hope he holds the title until another main eventer comes around. Seriously who else has the "main event" look other than Edge? No one really. Triple H and Michaels are just gimmicks so neither could hold the title. Other than that there is nothing. So I think the WWE needs to get some new talent ASAP but keep Edge up there. He just looks cool with the belt. I've always liked him since I was into wrestling in Jr. High...Since then the main event category has died or so it seems to me (I just started watching again about three weeks ago). Back in the day it was Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H and Kurt Angle I guess up top. Now it's Edge, and like I said Cena isn't anything.

[cappyboy]

[QUOTE=Remianen;143206] Plus, remember, post-Rocky Maivia, The Rock character is just Dwayne Johnson "with the volume turned way up" so it wasn't much of a stretch for him to BE The Rock. In a manner of speaking, this is the same as resting on your laurels because you're not challenging yourself. ANYONE could play an exaggerated form of themselves. The difference is, The Rock took that and subtly changed it every so often to keep it somewhat fresh. Then he segued into the Hollywood movie star persona (with the rock concerts) and kept evolving it. Cena doesn't have nearly that level of creativity, not to mention the charisma (which was even evident when Dwayne Johnson was 'Flex Kavana'. I don't see that kind of ability from 'The Prototype'.)[/QUOTE] Well, here's where we diverge a bit. I don't know that I accept the notion of Rock playing "just Dwayne Johnson with the volume turned way up" as resting on his laurels. It's often said that the best gimmicks are defined just that way. Examples I've seen mentioned often to support this have included Ric Flair as The Nature Boy, Steve Austin's "Stone Cold" persona, and The Undertaker. Not to mention the fact that you mentioned that Johnson has adapted "The Rock" over the years. That in itself is something Cena's done little of since being "The Doctor of Thuganomics." Now as far as the Flex Kavana vs Prototype point, I have to take your word on that. I've never seen either character first-hand. So I can't judge how much charisma either guy had back then. And I don't know Cena's charisma won't play a part in him flopping as a crossover. But it's his complacency that will get him first.