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John Cena In Talks To Play Duke Nukem In New Movie

Michael Bay's production studio is working on the unannounced film.

34 Comments

The wrestler and movie star John Cena is in talks to play Duke Nukem in an upcoming movie based on the brash video game character. This is according to The Hollywood Reporter, which has word that the film is coming from Paramount and Michael Bay's production studio Platinum Dunes.

The report states that the Duke Nukem film is in the early stages of production. No director or other cast members have been announced, while a search is reportedly currently underway to find a writer. It's also unclear what other actors might be in the running to play Duke Nukem. Cena and Nukem do share a resemblance...

Cena and Paramount already worked together on the movie Daddy's Home 2. He's also set to show up in the Transformers spinoff Bumblebee. Cena's other movie credits include an appearance in Trainwreck, while more recently he was the voice of Ferdinand in the animated movie of the same name.

The Duke Nukem video game series has been dormant since 2011's critically panned but million-selling Duke Nukem Forever. Gearbox Software, which owns the rights to the Duke Nukem series, confirmed in 2015 that it had done some concept work on a all new, "head-turning" Duke Nukem game. However, Gearbox might not make the new game.

"I think the faster way is that a correct developer can become interested and we can work with them," Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said at the time. "I think it's a challenging problem. But, I'll tell you one thing. When it does happen, there's no doubt that the whole industry will turn its head and look."

Would you like to see a Duke Nukem movie with John Cena in the title role? Let us know in the comments below!

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EvilTwin_GX

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Edited By EvilTwin_GX

John Cena may be able to pull the look, but most definitely does NOT have the voice, so no thanks!

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hardcoregamer1

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He is perfect for the role he even looks like duke.

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WeyounNumber6

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Well I was gonna say something nice but then I saw Michael Bay's name.

No thanks.

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NaturallyEvil

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They should bring in Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell as special consultants for the dialog, since they were the main inspiration for Duke's personality in the only popular game of the series.

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angrycreep

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First thing is to go get a good writer and cooked something good. Then i would like to see a more experience action hero with more acting skills to do the honor. This movie can bomb at the box office if they go and do some lousy casting cast.

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asmoddeuss

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"from Michael Bay's production studio" R.I.P.

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Jach

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@asmoddeuss: Actually sounds perfect for the source material :)

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Rekonym

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All I can hear right now is a voice in a my head vehemantly yelling "Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Noooo! Noooo!" and it just keeps on going.

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scatterbrain007

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Hell I'll watch this. Cena is genuinely funny. I don't mind mindless explosives and action in my movies from time to time.

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BanHammer

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they have to hype up a new duke nukem game before releasing this or else it will fall flat. but i will say this if there was ever a role to not pass on for cena its this one, if it flops oh well its expected to but if it succeeds it could give him a whole new audience and even more fans

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Jach

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@banhammer: I agree, it won't hurt him much and if it is done well enough, then there might be a trilogy for him.

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BanHammer

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@jach: i kind of want to see a good adaptation, he does look like duke and his voice isnt far off....if youve seen him in the few comedies hes done hes pretty good. but it could also turn out to look like rampage.......ill withhold my judgment until i see it but man does that look bad.

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deactivated-5b2072723fac3

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This clearly won’t work

It’ll be a Duke Nukem movie without Duke Nukem.

I mean you’ll probably be able to hear him talk in all of the scenes but...cmon guys do I have to point out the obvious?

It’ll be like Duke Nukem used the invisibility cheat....

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Rolento25

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@kstaggs3: What?

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deactivated-5b2072723fac3

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@rolento25: omg...

YOU CAN’T SEE JOHN CENA!!!!

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Jach

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@JosephDMcDaniel: I think you're right, but I'm not entirely sure he couldn't do it.

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BanHammer

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@JosephDMcDaniel: its actually spot on, hes actually a really good fit.

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Jarten

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I tried watching a youtube playthrough of Forever because I had no idea what the series was about. It was definitely not my cup of tea I can tell you that. A lot of the time I couldn't tell if I should laugh, cringe, advert my eyes, and freak out all at the same time.

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Xirtahm

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I think this is a couple decades too late. Duke Nukem isn't even nearly as popular as he was back in the 90s, and 2011's Forever only proved how little we still cared about him. :/

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Wraith3

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I want to say this is perfect, but it's a videogame movie. It's probably better than the Star Wars sequels though.

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mrbojangles25

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Duke Nukem move...

Ugh, let it die already. RIP Duke, amirite?

...with John Cena...

Hmmm hold the phone, might be entertaining!

...from Michael Bay's studio.

Nope. No no no. No.

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Jach

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@mrbojangles25: It's actually perfect for Duke Nukem. They don't have to bother much with the story and we expect a lot of action. They should probably do a Doom movie too.

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NaturallyEvil

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@jach: Duke Nukem yes, Doom no. I think someone like Guillermo Del Toro would be way better for Doom. A Michael Bay Doom would probably be closer to the Doom movie that already exists.

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lionheartssj1

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@mrbojangles25: Yep.

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deactivated-5b2c8e0382c99

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@mrbojangles25: Lol. Exactly. Anytime I consider something, and then I see Michael Bay's name, it instantly makes my decision not to see it.

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IrishInstigator

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I'll watch this movie! I won't be proud of myself for it, but Duke Nukem 3D was my first game ever, so I'm practically obligated!

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marporteX

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Edited By marporteX

John Cena was in the Fred trilogy and an Amy Schumer movie. I don't know if this a step up or down.

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catsimboy

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Fine, as long as they overdub him with John St. John

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GunnyHath

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@catsimboy: Exactly what I was thinking.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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Uh...Bay doing a Duke movie? That...might work, actually, assuming the writing is up the par.

But it usually isn't.

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Jach

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@Barighm: Doesn't take good writing to do a Duke Nukem movie. The games succeeded without it.

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gamingdevil800

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@Barighm: The last transformers was the biggest mess I have ever witnessed. Half way through the movie I had no idea what was going on lol.

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