A former WWE World Heavyweight Champion was initially cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever but had to relinquish the role. The circumstances are very curious, and while the exact role he was offered remains unclear, it seems to follow a pattern.
Warning: Spoilers for a henchman in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Damien Priest was likely cast as Attuma, one of Namor’s primary henchmen. Priest’s casting was revealed in a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet. He explained that the role was taken away from him, but not due to any action by Marvel Studios. That’s what is curious, because Marvel seemed to like him enough to test him in this role.
It’s a long story, but basically it got taken away from me, but not from Marvel.
Damien Prince
Prince told Insight that it was a long story, but it’s important to highlight the words “taken away from me.” This is not the first time a WWE star has been involved in the MCU. Becky Lynch was originally cast in a post-credits scene for Eternals, but the scene was ultimately cut. Seth Rollins also filmed scenes for Captain America: Brave New World, but their status in the final film is uncertain due to extensive reshoots.
Dave Bautista seems to be the only WWE star to have made it to the MCU without issues. He played Drax the Destroyer in six MCU films from 2014 to 2023. However, it seems everyone after Bautista has been getting cut before they can move over. It’s gotten many raised eyebrows because the WWE is a great way for actors to hone their craft and develop their superhero bodies. Moving over seems like a no-brainer, but maybe something behind the scenes stops any movement.
If another WWE star comes forward or gets cast in a Marvel or DCU role, we may see a pattern when transferring from WWE to other properties.
Published: Sep 3, 2024 01:42 pm