It seems like we see wrestlers-turned-actors showing up in major action movie franchises and massive comic book movies more than ever, but the truth is, this isn’t a new trend. In fact, some of the great Best Picture winners have featured in-ring technicians and brawlers show up in some capacity for decades at this point.
If you’ve ever wanted to know about movies featuring professional wrestlers then you’ve come to the right place because we’re about to break down films big and small, blockbusters and cult classics, and everything in between.
Rocky III (1982)
Rocky III was bigger and badder than the previous two installments in Sylvester Stallone’s all-time great boxing movie franchise, and some of that is thanks to Hulk Hogan’s brief yet iconic performance as Thunder Lips, the wrestler Rocky Balboa (Stallone) faces in an exhibition match early on. And while Mr. T is an actor more than a wrestler, the man behind Clubber Lang would go on to appear at WrestleMania three years later.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Andre the Giant was one one of the most legendary wrestlers to ever step into the ring, but there are some out there who probably know the “Eighth Wonder of the World” from his work in Ron Reiner’s 1987 fantasy comedy, The Princess Bride.
Spider-Man (2002)
You can’t tell Peter Parker’s origin story without including Bone Saw McGraw, and luckily fans didn’t have to live in that reality in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movies, as the first entry in the franchise saw the late Macho Man Randy Savage take on the role of the over-the-top and notorious wrestler.
The Longest Yard (2005)
There are movies with one or maybe two wrestlers, but the 2005 remake of The Longest Yard starring Adam Sandler featured some of the WWE superstars of that era with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kevin Nash, Bill Goldberg, and the Great Khali on both sides of the inmates vs. guards football game.
Road House (1989)
The late, great Terry Funk left us in August 2023, but he leaves behind a lasting legacy, both in the ring and in Hollywood. Perhaps his best known performance is that of Morgan, a bouncer who’s given the boot from the Double Deuce and proceeds to make James Dalton’s (Patrick Swayze) life a living hell. He even does a mean "Gorilla Press" early in the movie.
Predator (1987)
Jesse Ventura has worn a lot of different hats throughout his life: professional wrestler, conspiracy theorist, author, the 38th governor of Minnesota, and actor. He has made quite a few movies over the years, but his most notable flick has to be John McTiernan’s Predator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Can you imagine that great action movie without Blain Cooper?
The Wrestler (2008)
By its very title, it’s safe to assume Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler was going to see Mickey Rourke step into the ring with a lot of real-life grapplers before everything was said and done. And he did. The list of wrestlers includes everyone from Ernest “The Cat” Miller to Necro Butcher (pictured above) and future AEW stars Claudio Castagnoli and Chuck Taylor to name only a few.
Highlander (1986)
Highlander, a movie about immortals, swords, and all other kinds of fantasy elements, starts off with an absolutely bonkers match involving none other than the Fabulous Freebirds, one of the most impactful stables in American wrestling. They’re only around for a few minutes, but this definitely counts for something.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Dave Bautista has gone on to become one of the most versatile action stars in Hollywood, but the former WWE Champion made his first big splash as an actor with his portrayal of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy. Since then, Bautista has appeared in several of the best Marvel movies to date.
They Live (1988)
Before Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and pretty much everyone else not named Hulk Hogan or Andre the Giant tried their hand at acting, Roddy Piper gave a career-defining performance in 1988’s They Live, one of the best John Carpenter movies. This sci-fi action thriller not only features one of the best one-liners with the “Bubblegum” moment, it also features an epic fight scene.
The Mummy Returns (2001)
At the peak of his WWE career, The Rock decided he wanted to be a movie star, a process that essentially started with his portrayal of the Scorpion King in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. Though he wasn’t in the Brendan Fraser sequel all that long (except for that CGI abomination in the final act), it did lead to bigger and better things.
The Marine (2006)
John Cena is now known more for his acting than wrestling, but that wasn’t always the case. Back in 2006, the future Fast & Furious star and the man behind Peacemaker got his start with The Marine, a WWE-produced action thriller that would go on to spawn multiple sequels with everyone from The Miz to Becky Lynch and Shawn Michaels to Bo Dallas.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Remember the Nazi who had the misfortune of stepping into a propeller during a fight with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Raiders of the Lost Ark? Well, that’s none other than Pat Roach, a wrestler who found a tremendous amount of success on the big screen after hanging up his boots.
The Godfather (1972)
Prior to playing Luca Brasi, the Corleone family’s towering enforcer who ends up sleeping with the fishes in The Godfather, Lenny Montana had a rather successful in-ring career as a professional wrestler. Over the course of his nearly 20-year career, Brasi won multiple championships in various promotions under the National Wrestling Alliance.
Major Payne (1993)
Bam Bam Bigelow, a wrestler who took his larger-than-life persona and talents all around the world, showed up in the 1993 Damon Wayans comedy, Major Payne. He only shows up briefly as a biker hired to scare off Wayans' character, but it makes for one of the funniest spots in the movie.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze is mostly remembered for its lighter tone compared to its predecessor, as well as that Vanilla Ice cameo, but it also features an appearance by Kevin Nash as Super Shredder near the film’s climax. This was years before “Big Daddy Cool” changed the wrestling industry with the inception of the NWO.
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Blazing Saddles, one of Mel Brooks’ best movies, is full of great characters like Cleavon Little’s Sheriff Bart, Gene Wilder’s Jim the Waco Kid, and Harvey Korman’s Hedley Lamarr. But did you know one of the most absurd villains in this Western parody was a professional wrestler? It’s true, as prior to taking on the role of Mongo, Alex Karras, who also had a hall of fame NFL career, wrestled off-and-on for various American promotions.
John Wick (2014)
There are a lot of John Wick characters who haven’t survived a run-in with Keanu Reeves’ titular assassin, but Kevin Nash’s Francis isn’t one of them. The bouncer was one of the few employees of Viggo Tarasov to survive the franchise’s first installment.
Ed Wood (1994)
Tim Burton’s Ed Wood is a wild movie with an incredible cast and one remarkable group of actors. In addition to Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Bill Murray, and Sarah Jessica Parker, the 1994 biopic also features George “The Animal” Steele as Tor Johnson, a professional wrestler hired for parts in Bride of the Monster and Plan 9.
The Suicide Squad (2021)
John Cena’s portrayal of Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad is honestly one of the best things about James Gunn’s 2021 R-rated comic book movie. He’s crass, he’s annoying, but there’s no denying his charisma and ability to dispense enemies with just about everything that comes out his hands.
Mr. Nanny (1993)
Is Mr. Nanny a great movie? No! But is it a movie that has to be watched whenever it airs on cable? You bet. Hulk Hogan is the star of the show in this 1993 family-friendly comedy no matter if he’s battling young kids with all their schemes or Tommy Thanatos (David Johansen) with his metallic head. This one is WILD.
The Champions of Justice (1971)
The Champions of Justice, or Los Campeones Justicieros, takes some of the most famous masked luchadors in the history of Mexican wrestling and puts them together as a team of crime fighters (motorcycles and all). Together, Blue Demon, Mil Máscaras, and various other superheroes take on an evil Mayan princess in this B-movie classic.
Man on the Moon (1999)
The 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic, Man on the Moon, retold several of the late comedian’s biggest moments with Jim Carrey losing himself in the role. You know who else did a great job in Miloš Forman’s movie? None other than Jerry “The King” Lawler, who portrayed himself to recreate the epic “feud” between him and Kaufman that included that unforgettable David Letterman moment.
Friday (1995)
Friday just wouldn’t be the same without the towering Deebo bringing fear to the neighborhood, and that now iconic presence is all thanks to the late Tiny “Zeus” Lister Jr. The actor, who also appeared in movies like The Dark Knight, The Fifth Element, and No Holds Barred, will always be remembered for this role.
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz’s 2019 drama, The Peanut Butter Falcon, is a wonderfully tender movie about a young man with Down syndrome (played by Zack Gottsagen) with one dream: to become a wrestler. And he finally gets his wish in a magical scene that features some wonderful heel work by Jack “The Snake” Roberts’ character and a heartfelt performance by Mick Foley.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mad Max: Fury Road is anchored by scene-stealing performances by Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, and Hugh Keays-Byrne as the brutal Immortan Joe, but let’s not forget former WWE superstar Nathan Jones’ performance as Rictus Erectus. He’s massive, he’s deadly, and he has great comedic timing, which brings a lot to one of the best action movies of all time.
MacGruber (2010)
MacGruber, the movie and not the Peacock original series of the same name, is a ridiculously silly movie that is all-around a lot of fun. On top of Will Forte and Kristen Wiig, the action comedy also features a whole stable of WWE wrestlers, all of whom die in the most absurd way possible.
The Rundown (2003)
The Rundown isn’t the best Dwayne Johnson movie, but it’s also not his worst. This 2003 buddy action comedy, which also features Seann William Scott and Christopher Walken, showed audiences that the wrestler’s electric charisma could translate to strong on-screen performances.
Ready To Rumble (2000)
If there was a wrestler on the WCW roster when Ready to Rumble was in production, there’s a good chance they show up in this 2000 comedy starring David Arquette and Scott Caan. Goldberg, Diamond Dallas Page, Booker T, Curt Henning, Sting, Rey Mysterio Jr., and countless others pop up.
Blade: Trinity (2004)
Nearly 20 years before taking over WWE creative, Triple H had a sizable role in 2004’s Blade: Trinity, the third and final installment in the Wesley Snipes-led comic book franchise. In the movie, which also starred Jessica Biel and Ryan Reynolds, the multi-time WWE Champion made his acting debut as a vampire named Jarko Grimwood.
Warrior (2011)
A movie about MMA featuring a professional wrestler with a professional wrestler in one of the major supporting roles sounds crazy, right? Well, that’s what happened in the 2011 sports drama, Warrior, which saw Kurt Angle portray the formidable Koba, Brendan Conlon’s (Joel Edgerton) opponent before taking on his younger brother, Thomas “Tommy” Conlon (Tom Hardy) in the final act.
The Waterboy (1998)
The Waterboy, Adam Sandler’s 1998 football comedy, has a brief, yet unforgettable cameo by Paul Wight as Captain Insano in one of the movie’s funniest scenes. Wight, who was wrestling as The Giant in WCW at the time, would use the gimmick during a 2023 AEW appearance.
With more and more wrestlers stepping out of the squared circle and jumping onto the silver screen, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see some of the big names show up not only at some of the upcoming WWE events but also the 2024 movie schedule.
