John Cena's Post-WWE Power Move: Four Must-See Movies
SNME on December 13 marked the end: John Cena fell to Gunther, then exited WWE for good. With the squared circle behind him, he’s all-in on his next act.
John Cena just closed the book on his in-ring career, and he did it on live TV. On the December 13 telecast of Saturday Night's Main Event, he took a clean loss to Gunther and walked out of WWE for good. Now that the 17-time world champion is done getting slammed onto canvas, he can throw himself fully into movies — and he already has four projects either brewing or dated.
What Cena is shooting next
- Coyote vs. Acme (Warner Bros.) — releasing August 28, 2026
Director: Dave Green
What it is: After being shelved and un-shelved in a whole saga, the live-action/animation hybrid finally has a date. The setup is glorious cartoon logic: Wile E. Coyote sues the Acme Corporation for repeatedly selling him gear that explodes, collapses, or otherwise ruins his Road Runner plans.
Cena angle: He plays Acme's attorney, facing off against Will Forte, who represents Coyote.
Status note: A first look and some footage screened at San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
Produced by: Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, and a company with the most chaotic name you will read today: Two Monkeys, A Goat and Another, Dead, Monkey. Yes, that is the real name. - Matchbox (Apple Original)
Director: Sam Hargrave
What it is: An action movie built on Mattel's iconic line of toy vehicles. Plot specifics are under wraps for now.
Cena angle: He is the lead.
Writers: David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper.
Produced by: Apple Studios, Skydance Media, Mattel Studios. - Little Brother (Netflix)
Director: Matt Spicer
What it is: A comedy about a guy whose carefully curated life gets wrecked when his chaos-magnet sibling shows back up.
Cena angle: He plays a successful real estate agent whose world gets turned upside down when his little brother, played by Eric Andre, re-enters the picture.
Also stars: Michelle Monaghan.
Status: In development; no date yet.
Produced by: Middle Child Pictures. - The Leading Man (Netflix)
What it is: An action-comedy based on the comic series by Jeremy Haun and B. Clay Moore, written for the screen by Jon and Erich Hoeber.
Cena angle: He plays a vain movie star who finds himself outshined by his co-star, played by Kevin Hart — because Hart's character turns out to be an actual secret agent who needs to save the world.
Extra note: Cena and Hart are also producing.
Produced by: Hartbeat Productions, Ignition Productions, Netflix.
That is a pretty varied slate: a long-rescued Looney Tunes courtroom brawl, a toy-car actioner, a sibling meltdown comedy, and a star-vs.-spy two-hander. Feels like the right post-WWE lane for a guy who has been toggling between brawler and goofball for years.
If you want to revisit the final bell, Saturday Night's Main Event is streaming on Peacock in the US.