John Cena hasn't been a full-time WWE Superstar for quite some time now, no great surprise when he's busy starring in movies like F9: The Fast Saga and The Suicide Squad.
During his tenure as the face that runs the place, Cena was loved and hated equally by fans, with those in the latter camp anxious to see him turn heel. It never happened, but Roman Reigns' run as SmackDown's top bad guy has left many wondering if that will give Cena the freedom to do something new when he eventually steps back between the ropes.
Asked by Chris Van Vliet whether playing a bad guy in the latest Fast & Furious movie could open the door to a heel turn, Cena responded: "I think this is the beginning to showcase the fact that it’s possible. As WWE invests and builds its roster, it has a wealth of talent and truly has many anchors to the ship now. Certainly Roman being a very, very marketable and definitive star."
As for why WWE might now be a little more willing to turn him heel, he pointed to Roman Reigns' change in persona now making it a little more likely. "I think the reason for me not to explore that side is because WWE didn’t feel confident they had any alternative. And I respect that business choice, I really do. But now with them really laying their foundation for the future, setting up life for the next decade or so, maybe...maybe. I don’t know."
Cena also praised how the Head of the Table has found himself as a character in the midst of the pandemic.
"I know how hard it’s been for them [without fans]. I don’t think I would have done well in this atmosphere," Cena admitted. "I also think this time has allowed performers like Roman Reigns to unobstructively mold his character. If you send him from city-to-city, there may be some audiences that don’t care what he has to say, and just want to boo or cheer him. But without that [obstruction], Reigns has absolutely needed this time, and in it, he has developed his personality, his character."
"Reigns has found out who he is. So, now, when he goes back to live audiences, they are not confused. He spent this 15-month block to define who he is. And he’s the one who could benefit the most from it. On the other hand, established performers like myself would have had a difficult time with no audiences."
Rumour has it that Cena will challenge Reigns for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam, and while that likely means John will be a babyface, it's exciting to think about where he could go from there.