Latest news with #John Cena
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a day ago
- Entertainment
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'WWE: Unreal' cracks open a door the wrestling world has kept closed — until now
As John Cena embraced Cody Rhodes in Toronto at the conclusion of WWE's Elimination Chamber event in March, "WWE: Unreal" director Chris Weaver knew what was coming next. Cena had just punched his ticket into the main event of his final WrestleMania appearance, and his heel turn against Rhodes was about to rock the entire landscape of professional wrestling. Twenty years of hustle, loyalty and respect had flown out the window, and in its place was Cena standing alongside The Rock and Travis Scott in wholly unfamiliar territory. The move was something fans had waited years to happen, and when it finally came to fruition as Cena embarked on the final run of his WWE career, the fallout was dramatic. With the wrestling community's attention gripped by the heel turn heard around the world, speculation and reports outlining how everything came together ran rampant. Detailed in depth for the first time as part of the "WWE: Unreal" series on Netflix, Weaver — who's also a Senior Producer at NFL Films — was tasked with pulling back the curtain on WWE's holistic build to WrestleMania 41. Featured in the five-part series is an episode entirely dedicated to Cena's heel turn. Weaver walks fans through how The Rock was brought in to be part of the show and the process for WWE to land on the monumental creative decision that would disrupt Cena's legacy. 'WWE kept a tight circle,' Weaver tells Uncrowned. 'I didn't find out about the heel turn until minutes before it was going to happen. And when I found out, my immediate reaction was, 'S***, we don't have a lot of coverage on this.'' Weaver says to help unpack the story, he interviewed WWE Executive Director Bruce Pritchard, writer Ed Koskey and Chief Creative Officer Paul Levesque. The plan from there would be to use the interviews to help drive the story, offering their own perspectives on how everything came together within the tight circle. In an exclusive clip shared with Uncrowned before "WWE: Unreal" premieres Tuesday, Levesque details how the creative decision was relayed to WWE President Nick Khan, The Rock, Travis Scott, Rhodes and Cena, in that order. More than a year ago, before WWE embarked on this project, the promotion unveiled 'WrestleMania XL: Behind the Curtain,' detailing the chaotic build to Rhodes finishing his story against the Bloodline and winning his first WWE title. Weaver speculates that the documentary was a good testing ground for WWE to gauge the response fans would have from getting a rare picture into what goes on behind the scenes. The reaction was enormous, garnering 5 million views over the span of the past year ahead of the official launch of "WWE: Unreal." 'My opinion is, I think it certainly helped them get to the point where they're like, 'Alright, let's go ahead — and not just pull back the curtain, let's tear it down,' so to speak,' Weaver says. The wheels started turning for Weaver's involvement around October 2024, when he and his team were brought to Stamford, Connecticut, to meet with WWE. By early December, plans were set in place around how Weaver's team would capture content, beginning with placing robotic cameras in the WWE writer's room. 'I think the first frame NFL Films shot was robotic cameras in the writer's room. And that was the first time I was struck by what we were about to go into, meaning how much access we were going to have,' Weaver says. 'The cameras start rolling and we see the whiteboards in the room and it's got their season laid out on it. And I was immediately struck, 'Holy cow, this is what the world's never seen before.' I knew it was going to be special. When I saw those whiteboards in the room on our cameras, I knew we were onto something.' Weaver, who says he was not much of a wrestling fan coming into the project, was methodical with how he partnered with his team, Netflix, and the WWE in structuring the series. With nearly 25 years of experience across NFL projects that included "Hard Knocks" and "Peyton's Places," Weaver says his outlook featured fresh eyes and a fresh perspective alongside showrunner Erik Powers, who is a "tremendous WWE fan.' Weaver says he knew 'virtually nothing going in about the roster and storylines.' Powers, on the other hand, 'had a constant finger on the pulse of WWE. He was very highly aware of how the wrestling world and the dirt sheets and just the whole culture of wrestling might view the show, what they would be interested in, what might move the needle for them,' Weaver says. The dynamic between Weaver and Powers opened discussions and debates around their approach, identifying what was too far into the weeds and how they could balance appeasing both the wrestling world but also welcoming others from outside of the core wrestling audience. 'You can't satisfy everybody,' Weaver says. 'I would say you want the fans to enjoy it, so you don't want to dumb it down so much that they are put off by it. But at the same time, you don't want to alienate the newcomer.' The end result is an intentional focus on not just dropping fans into a ton of writer's meetings. Rather, the series finds a perfect balance between introducing how WWE marches toward its tentpole events, while digging far enough behind the scenes to appease the diehards. The five-episode series has an emphasis on the human side of wrestling and all the excitement, anxiety, and stress that comes with it. Fans will meet Phil Brooks, aka CM Punk, the man who's overcome with emotion in Gorilla position before fulfilling his dream of main-eventing WrestleMania. They'll hear from Ashley Fliehr, aka Charlotte Flair, and will see how she navigated a difficult build to her WrestleMania match against Tiffany Stratton. Weaver and his team weigh personal stories with wide-reaching moments, offering a zoomed-out view of the storylines that consumed the build from the Royal Rumble 2025 through WrestleMania 41. He compares the structure of the series to "Hard Knocks" blended with Netflix's "Quarterback," with a deep dive into the characters that make WWE thrive, while showing the behind-the-scenes moments that build to major storylines. As fans embark on this journey, further behind the scenes in pro wrestling than many have ever ventured, Weaver is struck by how much thought and detail goes into the shows. Ultimately, what he hopes fans take away is that the series strikes an emotion with the audience and offers a new respect for the work that goes into a sports league with no offseason. 'The amount of thought that they put into this product and these weekly shows is amazing,' Weaver says. 'There's a lot that goes into this. And when you can see it, I think it gives you a whole other respect for the product and the entertainment and what it is. I hope audiences will see that, 'WWE: Unreal' audiences will see that and feel that, because I certainly did.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
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WWE reveals SummerSlam Saturday, Sunday cards, adds new match
As Summerslam expands to a two-night format for the first time in its 37-year history, fans have been speculating about which matches will take place on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Sunday, Aug. 3. Now, they have their answer. On Friday, WWE announced the full match card during a 'SummerSlam Match Reveal Show' on its YouTube channel, where a new match was also added to the lineup. The updated card is as follows: SummerSlam Saturday: World Heavyweight Championship: Gunther (c) vs. CM Punk Women's Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill Women's Tag Team Championship: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed Jelly Roll & Randy Orton vs. Logan Paul & Drew McIntyre Sami Zayn vs. Karrion Kross SummerSlam Sunday: WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs. Cody Rhodes WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles United States Championship: Solo Sikoa (c) vs. Jacob Fatu Women's Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria Women's World Championship: Naomi (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky Zayn's match against Kross, added Friday, could hint at Kross' future with WWE. Reportedly, Kross' deal expires next month. It remains to be seen if he'll be re-signed, despite putting in phenomenal work over the past half-year. The outcome of his match with Zayn could signal big things ahead for Kross and his wife and manager Scarlett or serve as the blowoff to their feud, with Zayn moving forward in his pursuit of championship glory. With so much attention focused on John Cena and his reign as the Undisputed WWE Champion during his retirement tour, it comes as no surprise that he will headline SummerSlam Sunday against Cody Rhodes for the title. With that in mind, WWE evened out the card well, loading up Saturday with some big names. Roman Reigns, Gunther, and CM Punk are the featured acts on Saturday's lineup, which is loaded with tag team matches. Among them, musical artist Jelly Roll teaming up with Randy Orton to face Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. Of note, Paul Heyman's men, Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker will be in action on Saturday, battling Reigns and Jey Uso. With the Money in the Bank contract in their hands, it will be interesting to see what role Heyman's crew plays in Punk's bid for the World Title against Gunther. The match announcements come just days after WWE and Fandango unveiled a new partnership to screen premium live events in theaters. Starting with SummerSlam, select Regal Cinemas across the U.S. will host the two-night event. Tickets are on sale at While many fans may still stream the event on Peacock, others looking for a night out with fellow wrestling fans will have the option to attend in theaters — possibly choosing based on which stars appear each night. More from Not everyone is marking out about Eva Marie's return Mansoor's Raw Debut was classic WWE Is this who caught Lilly's eye? Former WWE champs face off on (checks notes) Main Event Yes, Angel Garza shoved a rose up Drew Gulak's butt on Raw Raw recap & reactions: Flip the switch Flair already added to title match at WrestleMania Backlash EVA MARIE IS BACK
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3 days ago
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James Gunn Unveils ‘Peacemaker' Season 2 Theme Song As Foxy Shazam's ‘Oh Lord'
As John Cena's Christopher Smith gets an upgrade with a parallel dimension in the forthcoming second season of the HBO Max/DC Studios' Peacemaker, so will its soundtrack. Following James Gunn's panel at San Diego Comic-Con previewing the sophomore installment — at the famed Hall H and prime Saturday evening spot of the weekend — the Superman helmer took to the stage at Peacefest to share additional news. More from Deadline 'Peacemaker' Season 2 Trailer Shows John Cena's Hero In A Parallel Universe - Comic-Con San Diego Comic-Con: How Hollywood Decides Whether To Dress Up Or Skip James Gunn Blames "Anti-American Sentiment" For 'Superman's Lower International Haul 'I am here to reveal right now — it is a song from my favorite band in the world that is objectively the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world, Foxy Shazam, here they are. They're gonna perform it for you guys — 'Oh Lord' — come on guys!' the DC Studios co-CEO said in welcoming the group. Later on at the event, Gunn was spotted upstairs in a private terrace with a view of the stage, rocking out to the song alongside his friends and wife, Peacemaker actress Jennifer Holland. Formed in Cincinnati, Ohio back in 2004, the pop rock band initially disbanded in 2014, but has enjoyed a comeback since its reunion in 2020. As of 2025, the band's lineup comprises lead vocalist Eric Nally, pianist Sky White, trumpeter/backing vocalist Alex Nauth, bassist Existential Youth, guitarist Devin Williams and drummer Teddy Aitkins. Earlier this evening, Gunn told the Hall H crowd of the forthcoming sophomore installment: 'I really like TV shows where the characters don't just return every season and they're the same exact characters. I want to see growth. I want to see change and sometimes regression. And Peacemaker is a different guy this year. He's dealing with the demons he uncovered from the first season and trying to deal with them, and the world is not accepting him the way he is. They aren't accepting him as a hero.' As fans might expect, Gunn's blockbuster triumph Superman will predate the events of Peacemaker Season 2, with the show's characters appearing as that movie's supporting cast: Green Lantern/Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders (Isabela Merced) and Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). That trio, as seen in the first teaser, grill Peacemaker for an interview with the Justice League. Watch clips from Foxy Shazam's performance below: Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Everything We Know About Season 3 Of 'Euphoria' So Far
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3 days ago
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New PEACEMAKER Season 2 Trailer Showcases Chris' Dream Universe
After a three-year wait, Peacemaker is finally launching its second season this summer. The HBO Max series became the surprise hit of 2022. And fans have been eagerly awaiting more of this spin-off from James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. And this season will actually deal with the fallout of the events of Superman, in which John Cena's Peacemaker made a small but memorable cameo. Head of DC Studios and Peacemaker showrunner James Gunn and the cast were on hand to introduce the latest trailer for the second season at Comic-Con. And you can watch it in full right here: Despite the first season of Peacemaker taking place in the old DCEU, James Gunn's teaser firmly sets the story in the wake of the events of Superman. Even the Justice Gang characters have a role this season. But most of Peacemaker's history from The Suicide Squad and season one will remain canon to his future going forward. Gunn has also said the explanation for the changes within the story will be easy for viewers to understand. Season two will continue just a few short years after the events of season one. John Cena, of course, returns as our favorite jerkwad superhero, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker. Other returning cast members include Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, and Steve Agee. Also returning is Robert Patrick, who plays Peacemaker's good dad. New cast members added include Frank Grillo, reprising his Creature Commandos role as Rick Flag Sr., along with David Denman and Tim Meadows. Longtime Gunn favorite Michael Rooker plays a new character this year, Red St. Wild. He's described as 'a nemesis to Peacemaker's eagle companion, Eagly.' James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of season two, and also directed three of them. Peacemaker season two drops on HBO Max on August 21. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
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Ryback Defends CM Punk After He Apologized And Competed In Saudi Arabia
Ryback coming to CM Punk's defense in 2025 probably wasn't on many wrestling fans' bingo cards this year. WWE Superstar CM Punk has come under fire from critics and fans following his appearance in Saudi Arabia this week, where he apologized for a six-year-old tweet and competed against John Cena in the main event of Night of Champions. Surprisingly, one of Punk's biggest detractors of the last decade, former WWE Superstar Ryback, has come to his defense today on social media in response to an opinion piece, tweeting out: 'I've had my issues with Punk, but I don't see him as a sellout. He returned to do what he loves and to make money — much like you're doing by writing critical think pieces about others for clicks. WWE is a global business, and working at that level means navigating complex deals, personal beliefs, and public perception. His apology wasn't about abandoning values — it was about how he expressed them publicly in ways that hurt professional relationships,' Ryback said in a post. READ MORE: Was CM Punk's Apology To A Fan In Saudi Arabia Staged? What do you make of Ryback's comments? Are you surprised to see him come to the defense of CM Punk after all their issues in the past? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below. The post Ryback Defends CM Punk After He Apologized And Competed In Saudi Arabia appeared first on Wrestlezone.
