10 Dying Acting Careers Saved By One Amazing Movie

1. John Cena - Blockers

Despite being a major WWE star, it didn't look like John Cena was going to follow in The Rock's footsteps and become a cross-media sensation.

It wasn't for lack of trying though. WWE-backed movies like The Marine saw him attempt to ape the same action movie trajectory with little success, while the next few years saw him in lifeless bit parts and stints in embarrassing flicks like Fred: The Movie.

Things started picking up steam with roles in comedies like Sisters and Trainwreck, but even these weren't great films and the joke was more that you were watching John Cena in a movie, rather than anything John Cena himself was actually doing.

However, laughing at John Cena turned to laughing with John Cena in 2018's Blockers. In a risky career move, here the wrestler didn't play some tough guy action hero, but a suburban dad with comically large pecs and a tendency to embarrass his teenage daughter.

It turned out to be a total winner, and Cena held his own alongside more established supporting cast members. It marked a career shift and, somehow, made him a genuine Hollywood name. Cut forward a few years later, and he's bagged himself his own TV show and roles in major blockbusters.