John Cena Was Told He Could Be the Next Terminator

John Cena may be wrapping up his WWE career, but back in the day, one of his earliest co-stars saw something much bigger in his future—literally. Robert Patrick, best known for playing the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, says he once told Cena he should take up the Terminator mantle himself.

During a recent interview with Monopoly Events, Patrick looked back on working with Cena during the filming of The Marine, WWE Studios’ early attempt at launching its top star into Hollywood. And according to Patrick, Cena made a strong impression—strong enough to potentially be the next cybernetic assassin.

“Oh, I told John that early on when we were doing The Marine. I said, when I was doing The Marine with him, I said, ‘You could be the next Terminator, man.’ He could be. He’d be great.”

Cena and Patrick have now reunited on screen for Peacemaker Season 2, nearly 20 years after their first collaboration. But Cena recently admitted that back in the WWE Studios days, he wasn’t taking Hollywood too seriously. In a separate interview, Cena confessed he treated The Marine more like a promotional tool for WWE than a true acting gig.

“I didn’t take the filming seriously. I just saw it as a way to get more people into arenas for WWE.”

Whether or not Cena ever gets a shot at playing the Terminator, the fact that Robert Patrick believed in his potential from the start says a lot. With Cena’s acting resume now stacked and his farewell tour in full swing, the timing might not be bad for a sci-fi reinvention.