Having made his WWE debut over two decades ago, John Cena has officially announced he will be retiring from professional wrestling which is great news for his biggest franchises; however, there is a catch. Cena became one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time during his 22-year career in the WWE, before he slowly transitioned into a part-time role to pursue acting, meaning he hasn’t been a full-time competitor since around 2017. Although he has competed in some incredible matches and provided wonderful moments since then, Cena laid out his retirement plans which bode well for his acting career.

Despite John Cena’s disappointing Rotten Tomatoes streak, he has managed to become a successful actor and has delivered some surprisingly good performances. Although people were skeptical about Cena’s acting ability at first, he has shown his comedic chops while proving he can thrive in several different environments and genres. As he has grown in confidence and learned his craft, Cena has quickly become one of the best actors who started as a wrestler and has an exciting future in the industry. Additionally, his WWE retirement looks scheduled to benefit his two biggest franchises, but there is a slight catch.

John Cena’s WWE Retirement Will Boost His Movie Career (Especially Fast & Furious & DC)

Retiring From In-Ring Competition Will Give John Cena More Time To Focus On Acting

With John Cena set to leave his in-ring career behind, his acting roles will benefit massively, particularly his two biggest franchises. Although Fast & Furious 11 is set to end the box office phenomenon, the franchise looks set to continue through spinoffs and other projects, leaving Cena’s future in the saga unknown. His character was seemingly killed off in the last movie, but with Fast & Furious being known for its shock returns, Jacob Toretto could appear again. John Cena’s wrestling retirement would give the actor more opportunity to explore a Fast & Furious return, potentially in his own spinoff.

Fast X may have faced a few box office difficulties, but the franchise has been a financial juggernaut, and Cena could easily lead his own movie. DC will benefit even more from his WWE exit, as Cena is currently filming Peacemaker season 2 and could be a big part of the extended universe. He delivered career-best performances in Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad, meaning James Gunn’s DC takeover could make Cena a major player. Gunn and Cena clearly work well together, and once his wrestling commitments are done, the actor could help Peacemaker become one of DC’s biggest characters.

The Catch: John Cena’s WWE Retirement Will Likely Keep Him Busy For The Majority Of 2025

John Cena’s Retirement Plan Will Could See Him Make 35-40 Wrestling Appearances Throughout 2025

Although John Cena may have a clear schedule once his wrestling commitments are complete, those commitments could last the majority of 2025. Cena doesn’t want his retirement to simply take place over the WrestleMania period and plans on working around 35-40 dates during his final run. While Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest WWE return made a buzz throughout the WrestleMania period, Cena’s farewell tour may eclipse this, with one of the industry’s greatest performers providing an extended final run. He returned at the recent Money in the Bank event to give a detailed description of his farewell plan.

During his promo, he mentioned entering the Royal Rumble, competing in the Elimination Chamber, and making WrestleMania 41 his final time performing at the Showcase of the Immortals. However, during the Money in the Bank press conference, Cena explained he wouldn’t be retiring at WrestleMania and planned to wrestle all throughout the year, potentially claiming a record-breaking 17th world title in the process. These plans look like they will keep Cena busy through the majority of 2025, meaning he may have a quiet year in the acting industry as he finishes up his Hall of Fame-worthy wrestling career.

John Cena Won’t Be Completely Gone From WWE After His In-Ring Retirement

Cena Teased Being Involved With The WWE Even After He’s Done Competing

John Cena’s bombshell announcement may make wrestling fans concerned about how much time he has left in the industry, but even after his retirement, he won’t be completely gone from the WWE. Although Cena claims he will be done with in-ring competition after 2025, the iconic wrestler mentioned he will always be part of the WWE family, meaning he could still explore other avenues. Given he has been such a great ambassador for the company, retirement seems unlikely to keep Cena away from the WWE permanently, as there are numerous ways he can remain involved.

His latest return proved he doesn’t have to compete to make an impact, as giving Cena a microphone is a guaranteed way to engage the audience. Alongside this, he could potentially produce some matches or help train upcoming wrestlers, meaning his WWE role is far from over. It seems likely that Cena will prioritize acting after 2025, but he has claimed that WWE will always be his home. Thankfully, without the burden of getting into in-ring shape, John Cena can still frequently appear in the WWE without his acting schedule being impacted, meaning he can balance both in the future.