There’s a Duke Nukem movie in the works…
And wrestler John Cena may take the leading role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 40-year-old wrestler-turned-actor is being courted for the starring role in the upcoming Duke Nukem video game adaption.
“John Cena is getting ready to shoot up some aliens,” they revealed. “The wrestler-turned-actor is negotiations to star in Duke Nukem, a big-screen adaptation of the popular video game franchise featuring the politically incorrect action hero that is set up at Paramount.”
Duke Nukem exploded onto our computer screens in 1991 but it was Duke Nukem 3D in 1996 which really turned heads with the promise of kicking ass and chewing gum… and that’s exactly what he did.
Set on Earth “sometime in the early 21st Century”, aliens are in the process of taking over Los Angeles when Duke arrives back in his space cruiser… and it’s not long before he realises he might be the only one who can save the day.
Of course, the big draw is Duke himself.
A quick-witted, bulky brute of a soldier, Duke Nukem is a mashup of action-hero tropes… and John Cena might just be an inspired choice to bring the classic videogame character to the big screen.
“No director is on board at this stage. A search for a writer will begin soon to develop a script for what is intended to be a starring vehicle for Cena.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the project is being produced by Platinum Dunes – the company run by explosives-enthusiast, Michael Bay, as well as Andrew Form and Brad Fuller.
But will Duke Nukem be any good?
It’s an interesting project, but I can’t help thinking it might prove tricky to bring to the big screen… especially due to Duke’s womanizing habits. Still, a more sanitized version could be a shot in the arm to the action genre.
And it really depends whether Paramount Pictures are going full R-Rated with this.
For now, we’ll have to wait and see.
