Cody Rhodes Finally Addresses His Marvel Studios Visit, and He’s Keeping Fans Guessing
WWE superstar Cody Rhodes has spent the past few weeks at the center of one of the internet’s favorite casting rumors. Ever since he was spotted at Marvel Studios, fans have wondered whether “The American Nightmare” is headed for the MCU, and his latest comments only add more fuel to the fire.
The speculation began in late August, when Rhodes posted a photo of himself at Marvel Studios’ Burbank headquarters to his Instagram Story. He offered no context, but that didn’t stop wrestling and comic book fans from imagining which Marvel character he could play.
Now Rhodes has finally spoken about the visit. During an interview with Brandon Davis on YouTube, the ‘Street Fighter’ star said, “There’s one guy in particular who was sitting next to me on this couch pretty much all day who is teasing things that aren’t real and if they were real.”
Rhodes went on to say the visit had been heavily discussed, but he hasn’t spoken about it himself. “That’s the beauty, I’ve said nothing,” he said. “That was just a photo at a wonderful office after a wonderful meeting with wonderful people.”
It’s a carefully worded answer that neither confirms nor denies anything. He acknowledged that a meeting took place but stopped well short of revealing what it was about or whether a role is on the table. Rhodes didn’t name the person teasing him on the couch. Still, his ‘Street Fighter’ co-star Andrew Schulz has repeatedly poked at the rumors during their press tour together.
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— Funko POP News ! (@FunkoPOPsNews) October 13, 2026
The Marvel photo wasn’t the only thing that got fans talking. Shortly after the visit, Rhodes posted another Instagram Story set to the ‘X-Men ’97’ theme song, which many fans read as a hint toward Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot.
Things escalated during a ‘Street Fighter’ press appearance with Nerdist. Discussing his fandom, Rhodes described himself as an X-Men fan who loves to nerd out about it, and Schulz immediately jumped on the phrasing, joking that he thought Rhodes was making an announcement.
In another podcast clip, Rhodes joked about dyeing his hair dark if he ever turned heel. When someone suggested a blonde streak, Schulz compared the look to Rogue and then asked which franchise Rogue belongs to, a question Rhodes didn’t answer.
Because nothing has been confirmed, fans have filled the gap with theories. ComicBookMovie noted that Cable keeps coming up on social media, while Sebastian Shaw has also been suggested. A voice role in ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 3 has been floated as another option.
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It’s also possible Rhodes is simply enjoying the attention and messing with fans. Until Marvel Studios makes an announcement, every theory remains speculation. Whatever the meeting was about, Rhodes is clearly building an acting career outside the ring. He appeared alongside Liam Neeson in ‘The Naked Gun’ and now plays Guile in the new ‘Street Fighter’ film, which also stars Roman Reigns as Akuma.
His interest in superheroes isn’t new either. Rhodes previously appeared in several episodes of ‘Arrow’ as drug dealer Derek Sampson, and back in 2016 he said he was actively pursuing comic book roles, including Black Bolt.
If Rhodes does land a Marvel role, he’ll be hoping for better luck than some of his WWE peers. Fightful noted that Becky Lynch filmed a post-credits scene for ‘Eternals’ that was ultimately cut, while Seth Rollins’ character was removed from ‘Captain America: Brave New World’.
Other wrestlers have found major success in superhero franchises, including Dwayne Johnson, John Cena and Dave Bautista. If the meeting leads somewhere, Rhodes could be the next WWE star to make the leap. For now, he’s keeping his cards close to his chest. As Rhodes put it, all he’s done is share a photo from a meeting, and the rest is up to fans’ imaginations.
Which Marvel character would you most like to see Cody Rhodes play if his visit to Marvel Studios leads to a role?
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