Duke Nukem is a much loved 90s video game series famous for straight up bloody, badass action. A Duke Nukem movie is in the works and now John Cena may star in the film.
It’s a strange move to some people for Duke Nukem games to be made into a movie. However, the majority of fans are stoked and at least in part glad it’s not another Marvel movie.
Duke Nukem is admittedly misogynistic, vulgar, and gory but that is just part of the game’s theme and part of what makes it great. Roleplaying is nothing new to video games and the aforementioned themes are nothing new to film, literature, video games, or you know, real life. But the question here is how will Duke Nukem transfer to film? Producer Scott Faye who also made the Max Payne movie says
I’m working diligently at making a Duke Nukem movie scenario that will live up to the character and its import in the video game world …As is the case with all of my game adaptations, I’d rather not make the movie than make a poor adaptation.
An R rating could help a Duke Nukem movie fill its potential and have awesome, blow your face off, gory action. The Wonder Woman film is a great example of appropriately dressed for action, stunning women. So I don’t see any reason why the Duke Nukem film couldn’t have a throwback to the crudeness of some of the older games. However, let that throwback be one that’s respectful to women and remember women loved Duke Nukem games too. Almost everything goes with comedy and comedy is a great subtle aspect of Duke Nukem games.
This isn’t the first time people have proposed making a Duke Nukem movie. In fact, it’s the fourth time! Lawrence Kasanoff of Threshold Entertainment worked on making Duke Nukem into a movie since the 1990s. Sadly, the movies never made it past pre-production. Before now, the last word of a Duke Nukem movie came in 2008. When in an interview with Kotaku, producer Scott Faye spoke about making the Duke Nukem video game series into a movie.
John Cena might star in Duke Nukem movie made by Paramount’s Platinum Dunes
Platinum Dunes is run by well-known filmmakers Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller. Most notable, Platinum Dunes is known for movies ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, ‘The Purge’, and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’. John Cena is rumored to star in the Duke Nukem movie playing the main character Duke of course.
John Cena originally made a name for himself in WWE. After over a decade of acting Cena has some great movies under his belt. Including ‘Trainwreck’, ‘Sisters’, ‘The Wall’, and ‘The Marine’. Obviously, John Cena has the looks to fit the role of Duke Nukem but there are a few other good candidates too.
People have also suggested Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Michael Cudlitz, and Channing Tatum for the role. No writers or directors are known yet but most people are just hoping this movie is good. Hollywood hasn’t exactly left gamers hopeful when it comes to transforming video games into film. While the Assassin’s Creed movie aimed to draw viewers outside the video game Duke Nukem might not do that. Who would you like to see play the role of Duke Nukem?
