“Thought This Was a John Cena Thing”: Millionaire Hollywood Star Almost Gave Up a DCEU Role After Dwayne Johnson Revelation

Dwayne Johnson and John Cena are two big WWE stars that have forged successful careers in Hollywood. In fact, both former WWE Champions have even starred for the same franchises in recent years. Cena followed The Rock’s footsteps and joined the Fast & Furious franchise after the exit of the Brahma Bull. The two actors were also part of the DC Extended Universe recently. Cena starred as the Peacemaker while The Rock had his own movie playing the Black Adam character. Although these two have faced off in the ring, they haven’t gone against each other on the big screen yet. But this could’ve been possible after it turned out Cena had auditioned for an entirely different role in the DC Universe.

Before he was chosen as the Suicide Squad’s Peacemaker, Cena auditioned for the role of Black Adam’s nemesis Shazam but couldn’t bag it. As fans know that role went to Zachary Levi who has excelled in it. But according to Levi himself he thought Cena was the perfect fit for the role.

Levi said he wasn’t a twin of Dwayne Johnson

A common trait between Black Adam and Shazam characters is that both are well-built and muscular. Both superheroes have a beefed-up physique. Moreover, the characters are opposite twins of each other as well. After The Rock was cast as Black Adam, John Cena auditioned for the role of Shazam and it seemed like a perfect fit. But he could not land the role. The role instead went to millionaire Hollywood actor Zachary Levi who initially feared he would lose out on the role to John Cena.

Last year during an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Levi mentioned how he thought he wasn’t fit enough for the role. He said he was shocked when he actually landed the role. Levi stated, “I’m still shocked I got the job honestly. I knew that The Rock was playing Black Adam, who in the comic books is basically like the twin of Shazam. Like the bizarro version. I was like, ‘I’m not getting this job.”

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He continued, “I’m not the twin of The Rock.’ I thought this was a John Cena thing. Fortunately for Levi, the studio went with him as Shazam who impressed with his display of the superhero character. His success with the first movie has already led to a sequel titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods which will release in March this year.

Things worked out in the end for everyone involved. Zachary Levi made the role of Shazam his own while John Cena ended up playing the Peacemaker. Cena has found great success there and even has a TV series of his own. Still, the fans will feel like they may have had a chance to see DJ and Cena battling it out on the big screen if the Leader of Cenation had gotten the part of Black Adam’s rival.

Recently, Levi also expressed his disappointment at The Rock leaving DC with the two actors set to collide at some point in the future. But with DJ’s exit, it is unlikely that we will see them share the screen in the DCU anytime soon.

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