It’s Wrestlemania 40 Week! Where wrestlers become superheroes in front of thousands of screaming fans! But some of them have already played their own parts in that world already, for better or worse.
So, in this celebratory week of wrestling, let’s salute three of the better performances in the comic book genre and lament three others.
Because, oh boy, have there been some bad ones, too.
Cody Rhodes played Derek Sampson in seven episodes of The CW show Arrow. He played a villain-of-the-week kind of guy, but he was good enough to be called back multiple times. Derek was a drug dealer (of the drug Stardust *wink*), turned mutated meta-human with advanced healing powers and an inability to feel pain. His performance, although a stretch calling it good, was a highlight in the villain-of-the-week category of actors.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? CONFIRMED!
Cody will be pulling double duty on Wrestlemania weekend! On Night One, he’ll be tagging with Seth Rollins against The Rock and Roman Reigns. On Night Two, he will be fighting Roman Reigns one-on-one (with potential shenanigans) for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Let’s go Cody!
Triple H (Paul Levesque) played the head lackey of Parker Posey’s Danica Talos, a vampire henchman with very little to do apart from getting slapped around by Blade. In the scenes he was in, his presence wasn’t felt. Maybe this pick is just a drive-by for the terribleness that was Blade Trinity. Seriously, that movie sucked.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? CONFIRMED!
Triple H is now the Head of Creative at WWE, so he definitely WILL be there! He will likely get on the mic during the event to thank the WWE Universe for tuning into the wrestling extravaganza.
Perhaps the biggest surprise hit of 2022 was the Peacemaker series. It was freaking great. In classic James Gunn fashion, it was funny, violent and engaging in all the right ways. Who would have thought that after The Suicide Squad, Cena’s character getting its own spinoff would be one of the best decisions DC has made in years? He plays the titular character magnificently… when you can see him, of course.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? MAYBE?
Nothing is confirmed, but Cena is always good for an appearance at the show of shows. If The Rock and Roman win on Night One, there’s potential for the Leader of the Cenation to get involved in the shenanigans in the Cody versus Roman match on Night Two (like every other member of the roster).
Edge (Adam Copeland) played Atom Smasher in The Flash television show, a man who could harness radioactive energy and enhance his physical attributes. If Cody Rhodes’ performance in Arrow was good, then Copeland’s was meh; a forgettable villain from Season 2. It’s such a shame because Copeland has put in good performances in other shows like Vikings and Haven.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? NOPE!
Adam Copeland is now signed to rival wrestling company AEW. He currently holds the TNT title. There is literally no chance he will be permitted to appear on the show, even if there was a desire to feature him.
Dave Bautista has become perhaps the greatest wrestler-turned-actor ever. He has smashed dramatic roles in projects like Blade Runner 2049 and Knock at the Cabin. Drax in the MCU paved his way, letting him show off his dramatic and comedic chops. Vol. 2 and 3 of the Guardian’s franchise showcase his diversity just in that one character. A special highlight is his relationship with Mantis, showing his softer side when talking about his late family.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? UNLIKELY…
Never say never. Wrestlemania has had major shocks and surprises in the past. HOWEVER, there has been no hint or mention of him in the build to the show, and it would be a major shock if he turned up.
Ahhhh, Black Adam. If Peacemaker has been a high point of the DCEU, then Black Adam is one of its lows. The Rock had been pushing for this part for years, and he finally got his wish. Unfortunately, the character nuance was lost in the shuffle, and portraying him as a literal GOD without much of a weakness made the film an uninteresting mess. The Rock couldn’t pull this one off, and it signalled the end for the DCEU.
Will he be at Wrestlemania 40? CONFIRMED!
As already mentioned, Rocky will be teaming with his cousin Roman Reigns against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. It would be extremely unlikely for it to end on Night One, too. He’ll likely be getting involved in his cousin’s match on Night Two. Again, LET’S GO CODY!
HAPPY WRESTLEMANIA WEEK PEOPLE!
