A WWE Champion Reveals His Black Panther 2 Role Was Taken Away – ‘But Not From Marvel’

A WWE Champion Reveals His Black Panther 2 Role Was Taken Away - 'But Not From Marvel'

As a gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in the worlds of both WWE and Marvel, I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Damian Priest and his fellow WWE stars who have had their acting dreams curtailed by the company’s former regime. It’s like being a superhero trapped in a wrestling ring, unable to save the day when the world outside needs you most!


1. WWE has played a significant role in launching stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista to Hollywood stardom; however, it’s common for the company to prevent its actors from honing their acting skills further. This appears to be the situation with Damian Priest, who recently shared on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” that he was barred from taking a role in Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

As a fan myself, I can tell you that Priest shared an intriguing tidbit: “Essentially, something was taken from me, but not by Marvel,” he admitted. This hints at a distinct period within WWE, a regime that was unique in its own way. Although Priest didn’t specify the character he was to portray, many speculate it could have been Namor. However, it seems more plausible that his role would have been a supporting one, like Attuma, which was eventually played by Alex Livinalli.

Regarding the regime Priest mentions, it’s the one previously held by retired WWE CEO Vince McMahon. Earlier this year, he was compelled to resign following a lawsuit from former employee Janel Grant, alleging sex trafficking and misconduct. However, beyond his string of scandals, McMahon was known for being challenging to work under. Priest is one of several WWE personalities who share such experiences.

Other WWE stars can relate to Damian Priest’s story

A WWE Champion Reveals His Black Panther 2 Role Was Taken Away - 'But Not From Marvel'

Vince McMahon didn’t envision every WWE Superstar emulating the paths of Dwayne Johnson and John Cena. In fact, it was possible that Dave Bautista’s acting career could have been a missed opportunity, as his boss wanted him to concentrate solely on wrestling. This led to Bautista leaving the company, and since then, he has made a name for himself in the film industry, most notably as “Guardians of the Galaxy” star.

Previously, numerous discussions have taken place about the positive impact that being in “The Mandalorian” had on Sasha Banks. However, contrary to this, Sasha Banks, formerly known as a WWE star and now Mercedes Mone in AEW, has been candid about the company scheduling her for house shows instead of filming for the “Star Wars” series when she was supposed to be working on set. The actress-wrestler acknowledged that she had to work tirelessly to join the Disney+ show, and it wasn’t always easy.

Paul “Big Show” Wight shares a comparable tale, as McMahon didn’t allow him to join Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator,” because he was contracted for wrestling roles rather than mainstream acting gigs beyond the WWE. Although Big Show made an appearance in an Adam Sandler film, “Gladiator” could have propelled his acting career, but that wasn’t destined to happen. With WWE now under new management headed by Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Nick Khan, it will be intriguing to observe if their stars are granted opportunities for non-wrestling endeavors.

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2024-09-04 02:01