What John Cena’s WWE Retirement Means For Peacemaker’s DCU Future

John Cena’s WWE retirement teases some promising things for his hero’s DC Universe future. Cena is perhaps the best example in current history of a wrestler effectively expanding into the entertainment industry, taking on a range of movie and television roles that have established him as a solid performer inside and outside of the wrestling ring. This also proved to be the case in the DCEU timeline, where he was initially introduced as the antihero Peacemaker.

Cena’s wrestling reputation is deservedly still the most well-known aspect of his overall career after decades of committed work, making it all the more surprising for audiences when he announced his upcoming retirement in July 2024’s Money In The Bank show. However, this may be beneficial for his future in the upcoming DC Universe, especially with Peacemaker season 2 on the horizon.

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John Cena’s WWE Retirement Makes A Bigger DCU Future More Likely

In Cena’s retirement speech, he details the things he’s excited for in WWE’s upcoming future, showcasing a clear love for the company and wrestling industry even as he explains that he will be taking a step back from both soon. John Cena also mentioned that his intention is a genuine retirement – and not a “dishonest” retirement that would see him return a few years later – even though he’d still like to assist in some capacity outside of the ring when the need arises.

All of this suggests that the wrestler and actor doesn’t intend to step away from public view entirely, meaning his acting career should still continue going forward. In fact, it suggests the acting side of his career may now become a bigger priority for Cena, in that the time otherwise spent preparing for in-ring appearances can be placed towards acting roles, and that his schedule is likely far clearer if his participation in WWE going forward will be in a more advisory capacity.

Since the DCU is arguably Cena’s biggest commitment outside of the WWE, this makes a bigger DC Universe future for John Cena and Peacemaker look even more likely. Cena has expressed a great fondness for his time in DC’s live-action releases, has been received extremely well in his role, and seems set for a notable future given his character has been brought across from the DCEU to the new DCU, all pointing towards the new era of DC’s franchise dedicating more time to fleshing Peacemaker’s story out.

Cena’s WWE Retirement Timing Makes His DCU Future Hopes Even More Promising

Cena revealed in his retirement speech and the subsequent interviews that took place afterward that his retirement would be in 2025 – though towards the end of the year, as the post-show interview saw him tease a January to December tour. This means the wrestler and actor will be taking a step back from WWE in the same year the DCU properly gets underway, with the first DC Universe movie, Superman, set to release July 11, 2025.

Were John Cena to be retiring a few years down the line, then this could suggest that Peacemaker’s future might be more complex, and decided perhaps more based on what works most effectively into his no-doubt busy schedule. However, a 2025 timing aligns well with the setup of the early DC Universe, suggesting Cena would be able to smoothly transition into a larger DCU role without it hampering this crucial chapter of his iconic and prolific wrestling career.

Why Peacemaker Deserves To Be A Bigger Part Of The DCU

Prior to John Cena first appearing as Peacemaker in the DCEU, audiences expressed some uncertainty about his prospective casting, with suggestions rising that his acting past could be insufficient to prepare him for the superhero genre. These concerns were proved entirely wrong when The Suicide Squad debuted the character and showcased that Cena could balance comedy and real genuine emotion effectively, managing to give the character real dimension even when characterizing him as a comedic relief figure.

The Peacemaker solo show allowed John Cena to add to this tenfold, with his delivery and characterization turning what could have easily been an entirely unlikeable character into a figure with clear and considerable flaws, but who audiences still rooted for to succeed and grow. As such, bringing him into the DC Universe seems wise, and giving him an ever bigger role would no doubt only ensure the franchise is able to better utilize what is already an effective character arc – something that already seems entirely possible based on both Peacemaker season 2 and the Waller show being upcoming releases.

DC Universe

The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.