WWE legend and peacekeeper star John Cena becomes political in his next role. At a first glance at The independent, a new film coming to Peacock in November, Cena plays an independent politician who has a real chance of disrupting the American two-party system by winning the presidency. A new photo from the film, shown above, reveals Cena in character behind a stage as his supporters cheer him on. While he shares the same love for the American flag as his own peacekeeper character, the roles are otherwise very different from what fans usually see from Cena.
The independent will be directed by Amy Rice (By the People: The Election of Barack Obama) and along with Cena, the movie stars Jodie Turner-Smith (without remorse), Brian Cox (succession), and Ann Dowd (the leftovers). The official summary is as follows:
These are the final weeks of the most sweeping presidential elections in history. America is about to elect either the first female president (Ann Dowd) or the first viable independent candidate (John Cena). An idealistic young journalist (Jodie Turner-Smith) reports history as it was made and teams up with her idol, the legendary journalist Nick Booker (Brian Cox), to uncover a conspiracy that could change the fate of the election. and lays the land in their hands.
Oddly enough, Cena isn’t the only wrestling icon to choose the Oval Office in fiction. The Comedy Series young rock in which Dwayne Johnson plays himself in a version of the future where he is elected President of the United States. However, The Rock recently confirmed that this is just for storylines as he has no intention of running in real life. Currently, Donald Trump is the only WWE Hall of Famer elected president.
A clip from The Independent has been released
Another image from the film gives an inside look at the characters played by Turner-Smith and Cox in an apparent argument. In addition, a clip has also been released in which more of the two can be seen. The journalists have very different views on what should be in the press based on the effect it will have on the fictitious elections. You can see the photo above and you can check out the new clip below, courtesy of Peacock on YouTube.
“Overall what I like The independent is that it’s a story about fighting to discover the truth in a post-fact world, no matter who benefits or hurts, which is very timely given the moment we live in,” director Amy Rice said of the film, via Variety. “The story is universal because it addresses the moral dilemma of: Does the end really justify the means? And it also humanizes the process of a person finding his way back from a fall from grace, where it’s not about the fall, but about how you get up again, and everyone can relate to that at some point in their imperfect lives. I know I can do it.”
The independent will begin streaming on Peacock on November 2, 2022.