John Cena on the Possibility of Joining the MCU: “I Would Love Iron Man to Shake Hands with Superman”
John Cena may be one of the biggest faces in the DC Universe right now, but that doesn’t mean he’s closing the door on Marvel. During a panel at FAN EXPO Dallas, the actor and wrestler shared his thoughts on the idea of superheroes from different franchises joining forces, and he sounds all for it.
Cena was asked if he’d ever want to be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His answer wasn’t a direct yes or no, but it was clear he’s not against the idea. “Here is my vision, here is my hope for the future. Everybody plays nice in the same sandbox. I would love Iron Man to shake hands with Superman. I would love to see all superheroes across all platforms be involved in a universe,” he said.
Right now, Cena plays Peacemaker in James Gunn’s DC Universe, a role that’s made him a fan favorite. But if the studios ever allowed Marvel and DC characters to appear in the same world, he’d be on board. “If that happens and I get my wish as a member of the DC[U], I would essentially walk into the MCU,” Cena explained. “I don’t write the checks and make the parts, so right now my answer’s gotta be no.”
Still, it’s not just about getting in a Marvel movie for him. Cena seems to care more about bringing fans together and expanding the kind of stories that can be told. “I hope we can have different debates because it’ll just give us more stories to tell, and more creativity,” he added. “And I know I’m gonna get punched in the face by critics for saying this, but my long term vision is we can tell stories with characters from both sides of the fence.”
It’s worth noting that James Gunn, who now leads DC Studios and has a long history with Marvel as well, has talked about crossovers too. In a past interview with Rolling Stone, Gunn said, “That could easily happen… But I also think people are a little over it. I think people wanna see good stories with their superheroes and that’s what matters.” He stressed that even big mashups like Superman meeting Spider-Man need to be backed by strong writing. “Just having Spider-Man and Superman team up isn’t gonna do it if it’s shit,” Gunn said bluntly.
While there’s no plan in place right now for Marvel and DC to combine forces, it’s clear the idea is floating around, and not just with fans. People like Cena and Gunn seem open to it, if the right opportunity ever comes up.
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