John Cena’s Best Movies Ranked From Worst to Best
John Cena didn’t receive this success overnight. In the early 2000s, audiences barely noticed his movie roles. Now, however, audiences love him for his role as Peacemaker in theDCU. Many wrestlers are turning to movie careers, with a recent example beingCody Rhodesfollowing The Rock and John Cena’s footsteps. Here are some of his movies ranked from worst to best.
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9. Bumblebee (2018)
Bumblebee is one of the best Transformers movies out there. Directed by Travis Knight, the movie focuses on the origin of Bumblebee and, for the first time in the franchise’s history, doesn’t make the humans annoying. John Cena plays the role of Agent Burns here, who at first is envious of Bee but then learns to trust him.
Bumblebee isn’t last on the best John Cena movie list owing to his acting prowess. He plays a stoic soldier and doesn’t have much room to showcase his acting skills. While news of a GI Joe and Transformers crossover got fans excited, thinking that Agent Burns might join the ensemble, that doesn’t seem to be happening anymore.
8. Ferdinand (2017)
Most wrestlers-turned-actors choose to play themselves in movies – handsome, husky men with a perfect body and a macho style (yes, The Rock, we’re looking at you). John Cena, on the other hand, has never been afraid to flip that script. He embraces his compassionate and feminine side. This can also be seen in his small cameo as a mermaid in Barbie.
That said, this attitude opens Cena to a whole plethora of roles, and Ferdinand is just that, a unique movie. Cena plays the titular role of Ferdinand, a gentle Spanish bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in the ring. It’s a beautiful movie that highlights Cena’s voice-acting skills, and in a way, it also mirrors Cena’s place in Hollywood: an actor who isn’t afraid to stand apart from his more traditional, hyper-masculine counterparts.
7. Blockers (2018)
Released in the same year as Bumblebee, Blockers is an ‘R’-rated comedy. In contrast to other ‘R’ comedies focusing on guys, this movie focuses on a bunch of high school girls trying to lose their virginity. Cena plays the role of a dad here and is instantly lovable.
We get to see the WWE star’s funny and compassionate side in this movie, something that he only exemplifies even more in his later works. All in all, Blockers is a fun, raunchy adult comedy, and John Cena as a dad is just a silver lining that makes the film even more enjoyable.
6. Heads of State (2025)
Imagine delivering such great on-screen chemistry that the studio tries to make a brand new franchise around it. That is exactly what Heads of State are. John Cena and Idris Elba previously acted together in The Suicide Squad as the two faced off against each other as Peacemaker and Bloodsport.
Peter Safran, the co-creative head of DC Studios and the producer of Heads of State, loved their dynamic so much that Heads of State was born. While the movie provides a fun action comedy, the character chemistry is nowhere close to The Suicide Squad. This perhaps proves the point that good character chemistry also requires good writing.
5. Ricky Stanicky (2024)
If you liked John Cena doing goofy stuff in Peacemaker, Ricky Stanicky is just that, but exemplified. The story focuses on three childhood friends who use Ricky Stanicky, a nonexistent individual, as a scapegoat for their funny antics. However, things take a turn when the friends hire Rod (John Cena), a washed-up actor, to play the role of Ricky Stanicky.
Ricky Stanicky is a role carved for Cena. Every time he’s on screen, he demands your attention. If you’re a fan of his comedy, this is the WWE wrestler at his best. While the movie’s plot isn’t that strong, John Cena’s acting and comedic timing definitely give it some leeway.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is part of the wave of animated movies that came after the release of Spider-Verse. It fully embraces traditional hand-drawn 2D animation. The film focused on a younger cast of characters, with John Cena voicing the character Rocksteady, a mutant rhino.
Yet again, Cena gets to expand his acting repertoire by being part of an animated movie. Rocksteady is a hotheaded villain who is part of Superfly’s gang, one of the movie’s main villains. Rocksteady, along with Bebop, voiced by Seth Rogen, is one of the most iconic characters of TMNT, and Cena breathes new life into him in this iteration.
John Cena being in the Fast Saga was a combo that audiences didn’t know they needed but very much loved. F9 introduces us to Dominic Toretto’s (Vin Diesel) long-lost brother, Jakob Toretto, played by John Cena. Following a shoddy backstory told through a flashback, we learn that Jakob has a vendetta against Dom.
F9 delivers on the Fast Saga’s over-the-top action scenes as we get to see Vin Diesel go head-to-head against John Cena. This movie showcases that Cena can choose to be the husky strong guy if he wishes to be, just like Dwayne Johnson, who is also part of this franchise but absent from this movie. F9 shows us a different side of Cena while also making him a series mainstay.
The Suicide Squad introduced us to Peacemaker for the first time. Back when the lineup of characters was first announced, no one even knew who this new character was. Yet, by the time the movie hit theaters, Peacemaker had become one of its standout highlights. Idris Elba and John Cena’s dynamic in this movie is what gave birth to Heads of State.
James Gunn’s sharp writing, paired with John Cena’s nuanced acting, is what brought Peacemaker to life in a way no one anticipated. As of writing, Peacemaker has become one of the most beloved characters of James Gunn’s new DCU. While the writing for the character is impeccable, John Cena brings a surprising amount of brutality and vulnerability to this character that forms the core aspect of Peacemaker.
Cena’s Peacemaker may well stand alongside Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn or Robert Pattinson’s Batman. These actors have managed to redefine these characters in their unique ways, making them inseparable from the roles. John Cena doesn’t just play Peacemaker; he is Peacemaker.
1. Peacemaker (2022-)
While not technically a movie, it would be a crime to leave out Peacemaker when discussing John Cena’s best roles. James Gunn’s Peacemaker TV series fleshes out the character established in The Suicide Squad as the plot focuses on Peacemaker coming to terms with his violent past and his toxic relationship with his father. All of this is embodied beautifully by John Cena.
Peacemaker is one of the funniest works of James Gunn, with some really dark moments that are brought to life by Cena’s vulnerability. The wrestler-turned-actor delivers a career-defining performance as he effortlessly balances brutal comedy with genuine vulnerability.
Season 2 of Peacemakeris already here and has become the highest-rated movie or TV show made by James Gunn. Regardless ofwhat’s next for DCU, John Cena’s Peacemaker has become his definitive acting role. It will stand alongside the great comic book performances of this generation and continue to be on top of all John Cena movies or TV series.
Melvin Mathew
Melvin is a nerd for anything and everything pop culture. He has had more than two years of experience as a writer and editor in the gaming space and has now brought that expertise to his true love: pop culture and comic books.
When he’s not typing away, you’ll probably catch him skateboarding in empty parking lots, usually mid-fall from some “totally worth it” trick. When he’s not nursing those bruises, he’s tagging a wall with graffiti or finishing painting his long-overdue Pinterest board of saved artworks.
