Seth Rollins has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The former WWE Champion was spotted on the Captain America: New World Order set earlier this week, sporting attire that has fans linking him to a role within the villainous Serpent Society faction. Acting is a relatively unfamiliar territory for Rollins as he has had just a handful of small parts within his filmography credits, but the leap from the squared circle to Hollywood is nothing new within his profession. Even more specifically, wrestlers starring in comic book movies and television shows is a crossover that has been happening for multiple decades.
Seth Rollins, Captain America 4
The newest of the bunch is the aforementioned Rollins, who appears to be playing a member of the Serpent Society. Set photos indicate he was filming on the same day as Anthony Mackie, which hints that he will share a scene with Captain America himself in next summer’s Captain America 4.
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Goldberg, The Flash
The master of the jackhammer also exists within DC’s Arrowverse. Goldberg appears as David Rachet, acting as an ally to Barry Allen when The Flash finds himself in prison.
Triple H, Blade
The King of Kings dipped his toes in acting throughout the 2000s, and even found himself in a Marvel movie. Triple H appears as Jarko Grimwood in 2004’s Blade: Trinity opposite Wesley Snipes’s vampire hunter.
Lex Luger, Superboy
Before DC Comics TV swept Hollywood in the 21st Century, there were a couple of forgotten programs that aired in the 1980s and 1990s. Among them was Superboy, a show that former Royal Rumble winner Lex Luger plays a hallucinated version of Superman.
“Macho Man” Randy Savage, Spider-Man
Bone Saw is ready. “Macho Man” Randy Savage made one of the smoothest wrestling to superhero movie transitions as he portrayed wrestler Bone Saw McGraw in 2002’s Spider-Man, fighting Tobey Maguire’s web-slinger inside a squared circle.
Kevin Nash, The Punisher
Big Daddy Cool once picked a bone with Frank Castle. Kevin Nash played The Russian in 2004’s The Punisher, squaring off with Thomas Jane’s fearsome anti-hero.
Eve Torres, Supergirl
Former WWE Diva Eve Torres took her talents to the small screen in 2016. Torres appeared as Maxima in Supergirl.
Edge, The Flash
The Rated-R Superstar once grew to 40 feet tall. WWE Hall of Famer Edge portrayed Atom Smasher in an early episode of The Flash, taking the fight to Grant Gustin’s titular speedster in a one-off showdown.
Cody Rhodes, Arrow
After Stephen Amell stepped into Cody Rhodes’s world in Summer 2015, Rhodes returned the favor by guest-starring in an episode of Amell’s Arrow. Rhodes portrayed Derek Sampson, a drug dealer that moved a product called “Stardust.”
Kane, Smallville
The Big Red Machine once stood opposite a young Superman. Kane portrayed Titan in an episode of The CW’s Smallville.
John Cena, Peacemaker
Big Match John debuted as Peacemaker in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and went on to star in his own self-titled HBO Max series in early 2022.
The Rock, Black Adam
Despite being in Hollywood for over two decades, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s first superhero role didn’t come until last fall. Johnson starred in Black Adam as the titular character.
Dave Bautista, Guardians of the Galaxy
The most famous of the bunch is Bautista’s Drax the Destroyer, a supporting player within Marvel Studios’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Bautista has suited up in the role in three Guardians films as well as two Avengers movies and last summer’s Thor: Love and Thunder.
