There’s A Chance We Will Get John Cena As The Thing

The Fantastic 4 is a lot like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series. The source material is there, and it’s definitely fantastic, but most of the film interpretations just have not worked out at all. Some of the casting choices were odd, the original texts just seemed like a suggestion, and the only thing they consistently get right is the big coat and the funny hat. However, the demand for a good Fantastic Four movie is still there. That’s why it’s pretty rad that from outta nowhere, John Cena is stepping in–kind of. There’s a chance John Cena might play the thing in the MCU’s Fantastic Four, and that’s exactly what we all need. 

Image via Disney

Is John Cena Actually Going to Play The Thing

So the history of FF movies isn’t exactly awesome. 2005’s The Fantastic Four was a decent effort, but some of the design and plot choices were just weird. Riser of the Silver Surfer didn’t have the budget, the writing, or a corporeal Galactus, but they did their best. 2015’s Fantastic Four sure did come out in 2015, and that’s all we really have to say about that. Suffice to say, the demand is there for a good Fantastic Four,  and from outta nowhere, that’s where John Cena comes in. John Cena might play the thing in the MCU’s Fantastic Four, and that’s exactly what we all need. 

So will John Cena be stepping up to become The Hulk’s weight lifting buddy? Maybe! Absolutely nothing has been confirmed yet, and the movie doesn’t even have a release date, but come on, he’d be perfect. When asked about taking the role, Cena’s reaction was kind of like when a friend asks you to go to a party 8 months in advance: 

“I would consider most any-thing. I think keeping yourself open to options and different perspectives is a good way to go about life. This would simply be a thing that I would consider, because I like to keep my perspective open to new things.”

Look at all that “Thing” wordplay! From experience, I can say that you have to have thick skin to make that many barely-puns in that close proximity. Stone skin even. Even though this isn’t much more than a “yeah maybe,” we can still think about how Cena’s version of The Thing might look based on some of his other roles. 

Most recently, John Cena rocked it as Peacemaker, a man who is nothing if not Liberty’s overenthusiastic nephew with a hat-game that doesn’t quit. In Peacemaker, we got this awesome balance of humor and the potential for immense, enthusiastic violence. That may not be The Thing exactly, but if he can keep a straight face while saying he’d eat a beach “completely covered in dicks” for liberty, then the dude can own “It’s clobberin time.” 

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

It is as far from confirmed that John Cena will be The Thing as something can be. Considering the movie probably won’t hit theaters for another couple of years, this is that sweet time of loose cannon speculation and boundless optimism. In other words, it’d be rad if John Cena played The Thing in the MCU’s Fantastic 4, but until we get more news, all we can do is wait. And maybe just forget some of those other FF movies exist because it’s the end of the year, and we all need to heal. 

Do you think John Cena would be good as The Thing? Who else would make up your dream FF cast? Tell us about it in the comments or on Twitter! 

Featured image via Marvel Comics

Jessica Kanzler is a freelance writer and editor who lives with her wife and cats. Jessica has bad taste in tv and an MA in Rhetoric, Writing, and Digital Media studies. Talk to her about Frasier on Twitter @Jessicaakanzler