12 Best Wrestlers Who Appeared In Comic Book Movies And TV Shows

As the likes of All Elite Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment have become fully fledged entertainment brands, rather than just wrestling promotions, it's become more common to see the in-ring performers make the jump to Hollywood — and no, not those awful movies like "The Chaperone," "The Marine 6: Close Quarters," or any of Hulk Hogan's questionable straight-to-video offerings. You only need to look at how Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns were cast in major roles as Guile and Akuma respectively in Kitao Sakurai's "Street Fighter" reboot movie. In the past, they may have been credited as Thug #1 and Thug #2 in some random action scene.

Considering how wacky the world of pro wrestling is, it's no surprise to see it cross over much more with comic book movies and TV shows. After all, pro wrestlers are simply superheroes in skimpier tights and with their own catchphrases — and they have left their mark on the mediums, too. Seriously, look at how Dwayne Johnson tried to change the hierarchy of power of the DC Universe in "Black Adam." He certainly did so — but maybe not in the way he expected.

So, let's take a moment to celebrate the melting point of these two juggernauts of pop culture, exploring the best wrestlers who appeared in comic book movies and TV shows. Ring the bell!

When it comes to pro wrestling, it's difficult to find a better orator than CM Punk. "The Best in the World" knows how to eviscerate his opponents on the mic, in the ring, and even on commentary. Punk's brash and controversial personality makes him a polarizing figure in the wrestling industry, but this translates into him becoming a must-watch performer and ratings booster.

Punk is also a major comic book fan, having written a few comics for Marvel in the past and appearing on "Talking Dead" a couple of times. When he moved into acting, many expected that he would gravitate toward comic book-related roles, but it took a while for him to get there. Although, Punk revealed he auditioned for the part of Rocksteady in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows."

"The Straight Edge Superstar" finally secured a part in a comic book TV show, when he was cast as Anthony "Tony" Check in Syfy's "Revival," based on the series by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton. The story sees the town of Wausau, Wisconsin be baffled after the recently dead are resurrected with all their memories and personalities intact in what becomes known as Revival Day. Punk portrays Tony, the eldest of the Check brothers and a shadowy figure who peddles drugs and something far more sinister. It's a role that confirms even though Punk is great as a fan-favorite character in the ring, he's born to play bad guys.

In the ring, Dave Bautista employed a powerhouse approach, rag dolling his opponents around the ring on the way to multiple championship runs in the WWE. In 2010, however, he began his transition away from the squared circle to Hollywood. He had already appeared in a 2006 episode of "Smallville" as Aldar, but his defining role arrived in 2014's "Guardians of the Galaxy," where he was cast as Drax the Destroyer.

Bautista understood how to portray this powerful warrior who might also fail an IQ test if asked to spell his own name. He brought humor, heart, and humanity to Drax and became a mainstay in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in three "Guardians" movies, "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special," "Avengers: Infinity War," "Avengers: Endgame," and "Thor: Love and Thunder."

His chapter in the MCU is now closed, though Bautista listed his one condition to play Drax again. The former WWE champ has also expressed an interest in tackling Bane, revealing that he spoke to James Gunn about it, but he doesn't believe it will happen at this point in his career. That being said, don't be surprised if he portrays another character in the DC Universe somewhere down the line.

John Cena's name remains synonymous with WWE. He's been a record world titleholder in the company and is often considered the greatest of all time. That being said, he's more than done okay for himself since he ventured into acting. Look through the best John Cena movies and TV shows list to see how many instant classics he's been in — especially "Ricky Stanicky."

When Cena was cast as Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, in James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad," well, let's say the enthusiasm wasn't through the roof. I mean, look at the character. His helmet is a chrome toilet bowl, and he isn't exactly an A-, B-, or even C-list character in DC. Surely, Cena could have played a bigger hero or villain? Yet, through a combination of Gunn's vision and Cena's impeccable comedic timing, they turned Peacemaker into a standout of the movie.

So much so that he even received his own HBO Max series, which has absolutely no right to be as good as it is. Plus, that opening dance sequence is better than the "Game of Thrones" intro (do not @ me). While no one had Peacemaker as one of the best parts of the DC Universe on their bingo card, Cena certainly made it happen. He made a vow of peace, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.

After returning to WWE in 2022, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes established himself as one of the biggest names in pro wrestling. Arguably, he's at the top of the company as the premier superstar, and with that comes the opportunity to expand his profile beyond the ring. Thanks to his bleached blonde hair and Star-Spangled-styled ring gear, many fans see him as the perfect person to play Homelander in "The Boys" if Antony Starr is ever unavailable.

While the Homelander comparison is easy to see, it wouldn't be the first time he appeared in a comic book TV show. In fact, Rhodes starred as Derek Sampson in two seasons of "Arrow." An antagonist on the show, Sampson used to sell the drug known as Stardust — which is quite funny, because this was the name of Rhodes' on-screen character in the WWE at the time. After being wounded and falling into his own merchandise, Sampson developed into a meta-human with enhanced powers and abilities, proving to be a threat to Oliver Queen and other heroes. Rhodes makes the most of his time as Sampson, turning out to be one of the most memorable and entertaining villains on the show in a time in which "Arrow" fluctuated in overall quality. (Be sure to check out our ranking of every "Arrow" season!)

Funnily enough, this casting also happened because "Arrow" star Stephen Amell wrestled Rhodes in a tag team match at SummerSlam in 2015. They became friends, which led to Rhodes appearing in "Arrow" later on.

Kevin Nash powerbombed his way to the top of the wrestling business. While he appeared in multiple promotions, he's best known for his time in WCW, where he formed the New World Order with Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall. For a period of time, the nWo was the hottest faction in pro wrestling, subsequently aiding WCW to defeat WWE in the ratings for 82 weeks.

Outside of the ring, Nash accumulated an impressive filmography, appearing in a number of comic book-related productions. In the television world, he showed up as Quixo in the "Swamp Thing" TV series and the Giant in "Sabrina the Teenage Witch." However, his major roles in the genre occurred in 1991's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze," where he plays the mutated and enhanced Super Shredder, and 2004's "The Punisher," in which he plays the rough Russian who goes toe-to-toe with Frank Castle.

What's impressive about his performance as the Russian is the fact that Nash suffered a real-life injury after Thomas Jane stabbed him after accidentally grabbing an actual knife, but proved his tough-guy credentials by shaking it off. "Kevin, he's just looking down at me, and there's a knife sticking out of his chest," Jane said on "The Rich Eisen Show," adding, "Yeah, that was rough. And you know what made it worse? He was so nice about it."

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson proved to be the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, then he took that earned goodwill and headed off to Hollywood. Sure, he plays variations of the same character in everything he's in, but he turned out to be one of the most bankable stars in the business.

In terms of comic book movies, Johnson attached himself as the lead in "Black Adam" in what feels like two lifetimes ago. If I'm not mistaken, I think my grandfather finished elementary school when the project was first announced. It took years for the film to materialize, but it eventually did in 2022. It wasn't a bad film — and neither was Johnson as the formidable antihero known as Black Adam — but it culminated in meme material because of Johnson's powerplay at becoming the center of the DC Universe. As it turns out, Johnson pitched a multi-year plan for Black Adam to battle Henry Cavill's Superman, which obviously didn't pan out at all.

"Black Adam" wasn't Johnson's only superhero role in 2022, as he voiced Krypto, Anubis, and Black Adam in "DC League of Super-Pets." While it's unlikely that Johnson will return as Black Adam in the new DC Universe, maybe James Gunn might give Johnson a call if he needs a human voice for Krypto in any of the upcoming movies.

It sucks that 2016's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" went relatively into the shadows without too much pomp or circumstance. Unfortunately, the sequel couldn't escape all the complaints of its 2014 predecessor, especially the questionable design of the Turtles — remember their bizarre noses and lips? It's a shame, because this sequel carries the spirit of the original 1987 animated series, which is still the best cartoon from the 1980s, and the casting was stellar.

The dimwitted Bebop and Rocksteady are essential characters in the TMNT Universe, and they're brought to life spectacularly by Gary Anthony Williams and Sheamus respectively. Williams and Sheamus play off each other to perfection, adding a necessary bumbling quality to these hopeless henchmen.

WWE superstar Sheamus has had a few roles since "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows," but it would be fantastic to see him dive into another comic book movie or TV show role in the future. In the ring, he loves to put on banger after banger with his hard-knock style, and it's obvious that he brings the same energy to his performances on set. If Marvel is looking for someone to bring the Irish mutant Banshee (albeit a bulkier version) to life on screen, the Celtic Warrior should be a top consideration.

No one looked and acted like "Macho Man" Randy Savage. The professional wrestler aura farmed by simply stepping in front of the camera, dripping charisma in the bucketloads and having everyone hooked on what he had to say or do. He claimed championships and competed in some of the biggest bouts in wrestling history, confirming his place as one of the all-time greats before his death in 2011.

Savage's larger-than-life persona saw him secure parts in several movies and television shows. Arguably, his most famous role was as Bone Saw McGraw in 2002's "Spider-Man." He's the jacked, loudmouth wrestler who wants to squash Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker, who uses his newfound powers to win the wrestling match. While Savage didn't have a lot of screentime or lines, he made the most of his solitary scene in the film. Still, to this day, it's difficult to imagine anyone else but Savage saying, "Hey, freakshow! You're going nowhere. I got you for three minutes. Three minutes of playtime!"

David Otunga experienced a short but impressive stint in WWE. He formed a part of the Nexus and New Nexus factions, often competing as a tag team performer. Before he stepped away from wrestling altogether, he secured himself two WWE Tag Team Championship reigns. Otunga also achieved mainstream recognition, thanks to his long-term relationship with Jennifer Hudson. The couple were together for around a decade and had a child together.

Considering the company he kept, it's no surprise to learn that Otunga tried his luck at acting too. One of his best-known parts is as Derek in two episodes of "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law." The first time the audience meets Derek is when he goes on a date with She-Hulk and shows off his arrogant side, trying to get into a competition about who can lift more. The second time he appears is when he's called as a witness during She-Hulk's trial and criticizes her character. Derek didn't form a major part of the show, but Otunga provides a good chuckle with his overly conceited and insecure character.

At his peak in WWE, especially in the late 2000s, you wouldn't have put it past Marvel to cast Adam Copeland, aka Edge, as Thor in the MCU. He had the fanfare, the look, the physique, and the necessary attitude to pull it off. At that point in time, he was also one of the most well-known and decorated superstars in WWE. Unfortunately, an injury forced Copeland to retire from professional wrestling in 2011. However, he made a comeback to WWE in 2019, then joined AEW in 2023.

During his first retirement, Copeland racked up several acting credits, appearing in series like "Haven" and "Vikings." He also became a wrestler who appeared in comic book movies and TV shows when he showed up in "The Flash" as Atom Smasher. In season 2 of The CW series, Copeland portrays an Earth-2 villainous version of Al Rothstein. Atom Smasher is convinced by Zoom to go after the Scarlet Speedster, using his incredible strength and ability to alter his size. Ultimately, Atom Smasher fails in his plan, perishing after too much exposure to radiation. While Copeland played the villain of the week in "The Flash," he brought some menace and bite to the character. Dare I say he's even more memorable than the version of Atom Smasher that Noah Centineo played in "Black Adam."

Created by Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson, "Happy!" is a deliciously eccentric comic book series. In 2017, it received a two-season television adaptation on Syfy, which sees Christopher Meloni play Nick Sax, who gets revived by paramedics after suffering a cardiac arrest and begins to see a talking winged unicorn named Happy (voiced by Patton Oswalt). 

In season 2 of "Happy!" wrestling superstar Paul Wight appears as Big Pink, who is the villainous Mister Blue's (Ritchie Coster) sensitive prison boyfriend. While Big Pink isn't a major character, Wight plays into the dark humor of the show, demonstrating his ability as a talented performer who's more than just an imposing on-screen presence.

Of course, most fans know Wight from his stint as the Giant in WCW, or as The Big Show in WWE, but he's also had several noteworthy roles in film and television. After all, who could ever forget him as Captain Insano in "The Waterboy"? Plus, he also headlined the short-lived Netflix sitcom "The Big Show Show," which is easily one of the best wrestling TV shows.

Eve Torres became a part of the WWE in a crucial period when women's wrestling started to be taken more seriously. Sure, it wasn't what it is today, but the seeds of change had been planted. Torres also put in the work, evolving from a backstage announcer to in-ring performer. Eventually, she became a multiple-time WWE Divas Champion. In 2013, she retired from pro wrestling.

Much like her fellow performers, Torres ventured into the world of acting. While she might not have the most vast filmography on IMDb, she secured the role of Maxima in season 1 of "Supergirl." Maxima is the queen of the alien planet Almerac, who hoped that Superman would marry her. When he turned her down, let's say she didn't take it well, so the Man of Steel had to stop her. In the episode "Myriad," Lucy Lane (Jenna Dewan) frees her, resulting in Maxima and Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) having to slug it out in a good ol'-fashioned slobberknocker.

While Torres only showed up briefly in one episode of "Supergirl," she added credibility and physicality to the part. It also helps that Torres looks like she could pass as a real-life superhuman after all her feats inside the squared circle.