What Was John Cena's First Movie & Where Can You Stream It Online?

John Cena first burst onto the pop culture scene as a WWE wrestling superstar. Throughout his tenure on the company's main roster, which began in 2002 and is still going to this day, he has done battle with some of the best in the business, won numerous championships, and headlined countless pay-per-view events. Amid all of this, he tried his hand at a different form of entertainment: acting. After appearing as an uncredited background extra in 2000's "Ready to Rumble," Cena launched his cinematic career properly a few years later, making waves as the lead of director John Bonito's "The Marine."

The 2006 action flick stars Cena as Sergeant John Triton, who returns home from Iraq only to end up at the center of a new conflict. His wife, Kate (Kelly Carlson), has been kidnapped by a gang led by the formidable Rome, portrayed by none other than Cena's "Peacemaker" co-star, Robert Patrick. Thus, he has to use his military mind and skills to get her back. Though it's far from a critical favorite, boasting a disappointing 17% rotten critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, it's not hard to find if you want to give it a go. It's available to stream on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and Vudu.

If you do give "The Marine" a try, don't expect an Oscar-winning performance from Cena. He himself admitted that he was far from ready to make the jump from the ring to the silver screen way back when.

Nearly two decades after "The Marine" premiered, John Cena has created a strong filmography for himself. He has appeared in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, contributed to the soon-to-be-defunct DC Extended Universe, and taken on minor supporting roles in the likes of "Barbie" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." He's now a seasoned actor who has proven himself capable of handling a range of roles. However, back when he was working on "The Marine," he didn't quite have his head in the game and failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.

"I was not ready for the opportunity I was given," Cena admitted during a chat with GQ, recalling that "The Marine" was designed to establish WWE Studios. The hope was that this new branch of the company would give WWE a broader reach and generate higher profits in future years. When fellow WWE legend Steve Austin backed out of the project, Cena was swiftly chosen by WWE's then-CEO Vince McMahon to helm the major business endeavor. "I pretty much left a small meeting in his office and packed my bags and went to be in the movies, which I knew nothing about," he said. Not only was adjusting to the slow cinematic process a bit difficult, but at the end of the day, his mind remained squarely on wrestling.

In hindsight, Cena noted that his experience on "The Marine" was an immensely valuable one. He may not have realized it at the time, but he had gotten his first taste of what his new career would eventually be once his days in the WWE ring started to wind down.