From the WWE ring to the silver screen, Scottish wrestler and former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre will grace Hollywood with his robust presence. News broke recently that McIntyre has landed himself a role in an upcoming action project, The Killer’s Game, joining a star-studded cast that includes WWE legend Dave Bautista, rapper Ice Cube, Oscar winner Ben Kingsley, and Sofia Boutella, as per PWInsider.
In The Killer’s Game, Bautista plays a hitman who puts out a contract on himself after a terminal illness diagnosis, only to later learn the prognosis was a mistake. As one might expect, this leads to a thrilling scramble as he must fend off the very assassins he once hired. The plot, which has spent several years in development, is now ready for the big screen.
McIntyre’s absence from the ring was initially scripted as a “company business” trip during a backstage interview on WWE Raw before this revelation. This raised concerns among WWE fans, especially since McIntyre only just returned to in-ring action after a prolonged absence following WrestleMania 39.
While this isn’t McIntyre’s first brush with acting – his previous credit being a guest role in the supernatural television series The Cursed – this is a more prominent role that will push him into the limelight. Though there’s no word on his exact role in the movie, but the tantalizing prospect of seeing McIntyre possibly playing a deadly assassin on Bautista’s trail is enough to whet the appetite of WWE fans and film enthusiasts alike.
J.J. Perry, director of the recent Jamie Foxx film Day Shift, which may or may not get a sequel, is attached to direct the new movie.
It’s an exciting time for McIntyre’s career after he recently confronted WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, setting up a potential title challenge for SummerSlam. His filming commitment for The Killer’s Game isn’t expected to force his WWE career to take a temporary backseat, especially with SummerSlam right around the corner.
The Scottish Warrior’s foray into Hollywood is the latest in the rising trend of WWE stars crossing over into Hollywood. A few months ago, Seth Rollins was absent from Monday Right RAW to film his role in Captain America: Brave New World.
Of course, we don’t need to look further than the star of The Killer’s Game, Dave Bautista, for an example. Bautista was a late bloomer in the WWE, getting his bearings in his 30s, but he didn’t let this stop him from transitioning from being the WWE juggernaut that he was to a household name in Hollywood with roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and other big-screen productions.
Undeniably, this movie project could open many new doors for McIntyre, who has largely concentrated his efforts on his wrestling career. His laser-focused drive to establish himself as an unstoppable force within the wrestling ring saw him transition from an initial unsuccessful WWE run to reinventing himself at Impact Wrestling and returning to the WWE in 2018.
As for Bautista, his filmography continues to grow after bidding the MCU farewell. He’s scheduled to star in Dune: Part Two, My Spy: The Eternal City, and a still-untitled buddy cop comedy film with Jason Momoa.
