From Superstars to Superheroes: Casting WWE talent in the MCU

Happy Friday everyone! We made it. Another week is in the books. Let’s try to kick-off your weekend with a little bit of fun.

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Rick Ucchino. I’ve been with Cageside Seats for about a year now and just recently started this weekly Friday column. I love pro wrestling, sports and most things nerd culture. Big movie guy. Big comic book guy. So naturally, I’m a massive fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I also love it when my little worlds collide and I have the opportunity to jump outside the box and put something like this together for you.

Rumors have been swirling for a long time now that Becky Lynch has been cast in an upcoming MCU film. Those rumors were seemingly confirmed in a story that broke late last week by Fightful Select. Not only was The Man cast in a role, but she apparently shot what would have been a post-credits scene for Chloe Zhao’s Eternals flick that was released last year.

The report says that while everyone involved with the project was happy with Lynch’s performance, the scene was ultimately cut because it was too depressing. The good news for Becky Lynch stans everywhere, is that there’s still a chance The Man comes back around to the MCU in another project.

But which one? And what character would she play? It was never confirmed what her role was in that scene that ended up on the cutting room floor.

Anyone who saw her brief portrayal of Cyndi Lauper on NBC’s Young Rock knows that Lynch has some serious acting chops and seems destined for a post in-ring career in Hollywood. Maybe sooner rather than later.

If she lands a role in the MCU, Becky Lynch would be the latest Superstar to trade her ring gear for superhero tights.

• Dave Bautista - Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and elsewhere
• Kevin Nash - The Russian in 2004’s The Punisher
• Adam “Edge” Copeland - Atom Smasher in The CW’s “Arrowverse”
• John Cena - Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad & his own spin-off HBO Max show
• Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson - as the lead in Black Adam

While a majority of those characters belong to DC Studios, their entire cinematic division is set for a huge reboot under Cena’s Peacemaker collaborator James Gunn. A number of projects have either been cancelled or are up in the air. So for the sake of this article, I’m going to stick to Marvel.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to enter into Phase 5 of their massively successful multi-property franchise next year with some heavy hitter projects on the docket. Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 (starring future WWE Hall of Famer Batista), Captain America: New World Order, and Daredevil: Born Again are all on the horizon.

A much anticipated Spider-Man sequel and the long awaited debuts of the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises are likely just a few years away as well. There’s a treasure trove of beloved characters just waiting to be reincarnated or brought to life on the big screen for the first time ever.

So just in case Kevin Feige happens to be reading this article, I have a few suggestions for the MCU’s head booker (aka the President of Marvel Studios) for some of his upcoming projects.

Alexa Bliss as Amora The Enchantress

It’s not likely that Marvel would be in any rush to introduce Amora The Enchantress to their audience, since we’re not that far removed from Cara Delevingne’s take on DC’s version of a similar character in Suicide Squad in 2016 (not to be confused with Gunn & Cena’s The Suicide Squad from 2021).

However, if there are plans to bring back Chris Hemsworth for one more go as everyone’s favorite axe (or hammer, depending on the timeline) wielding God of Thunder, introducing Amora into the Thor franchise would make a ton of sense.

Spoiler Alert: The Hercules tease that we saw at the end of Thor: Love and Thunder, could lead us to Amora’s debut, given the history those two characters have with one another in comics. But at the same time, Amora is a character that crossed paths with the likes of Loki, Baron Zemo, Spider-Man, The Hulk, the X-Men and the Scarlet Witch. There’s no shortage of projects where she would fit into the MCU that also stays true to the source material.

The Enchantress is an immortal and very powerful sorceress, born in Thor’s home world/realm of Asgard. This Goddess (see what I did there) is known for her beauty. A tool that she uses in addition to her sorcery to gain the power she desperately craves.

You cannot tell me that this isn’t a role that is tailor-made for the 5-time WWE Women’s Champion. The physical similarities are secondary to the fact that we’ve literally seen most of Amora’s characteristics played out by Alexa Bliss over the course of her career.

When people tend to talk about who the next breakout Hollywood star from WWE is going to be, we often hear names like Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte Flair. And for good reason. Don’t sleep on Alexa Bliss. She may just be the best actress in the entire company and she doesn’t get nearly enough credit.

Bray Wyatt as Mephisto

Mephisto’s involvement in the MCU has been rumored since WandaVision hit Disney+ last year. While many believed the extra-dimensional demon was manipulating the Scarlet Witch during her hour of distress, it was Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha Harkness that emerged as the main antagonist of the show.

While Bray may not match up to the physical characteristics of Marvel’s take on Faust’s take on the devil that we’ve seen in the comics, it’s unknown whether Mephisto’s appearance is his true form or one he has simply conjured to trick people into believing he is the one true Satan. So in theory, Mephisto could be played by nearly anyone.

He is a monarch of evil, empowered by the souls of the damned. Marvel’s website describes Mephisto as one of the most untrustworthy beings in existence, often striking deceptive bargains to collect souls and further grow his power.

In the words of Triple H, Bray Wyatt’s crazy creative mind and uncharted charisma could really make this demented demon come to life on the big screen. Also, Bray’s affinity for the darker and more twisted side of storytelling makes this a match made in Heaven... or should I say Hell?

Having encountered the likes of Thor, Dr. Strange, Doctor Doom, and The Scarlett Witch, the possibilities of introducing Mephisto to the MCU are plentiful. Maybe even as soon as next year when Hahn’s Harkness returns for her spin-off series, Agatha: Coven of Chaos.

Finn Balor as Bullseye

It was a big day for many of us Marvel fans when Daredevil made his way into the MCU. The news of Matt Murdock’s arrival was made even better when Charlie Cox agreed to reprise the role that he held during Daredevil’s three season run on Netflix.

Thanks to the magic of the multiverse, Cox, as well as Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin, were able to be injected right into the Marvel Universe without batting an eye.

The Kingpin may be the big bad when Daredevil: Born Again starts streaming in 2024, but the 18 episode season one would be the perfect time to introduce one of Matt Murdock’s biggest rivals - Bullseye.

In the comics, not much is known about this badass mercenary. A special operative for the N.S.A turned private assassin, Bullseye has the ability to turn any object into a lethal projectile.

The first time fans saw Bullseye on the silver screen, was back in 2003 when Colin Farrell starred alongside Ben Affleck in the critically panned adaptation of Marvel’s popular comic book. Farrell’s take on the character, one of the best parts of the movie, saw him transformed into an Irish assassin - hired by Wilson Fisk to take out the father of Daredevil’s love interest.

Why not bring that part of the character back?

Take a good hard look at Finn Balor, particularly his abs, and tell me that man couldn’t be a trained killer. Aside from his lethal accuracy, Bullseye is especially proficient in hand-to-hand combat. Balor could no doubt handle all the physical requirements of the character, but I also believe he could bring a certain ferocity to Bullseye that we haven’t seen previously.

Becky Lynch as Siryn

It’s highly doubtful that this is the character that Becky Lynch portrayed in her post-credits scene for the Eternals. The X-Men are still a long way off. I have to believe that Marvel will follow a formula they’ve utilized in previous stages, and sprinkle in major characters in other movies and shows before the X-Men get their first stand alone MCU flick.

In fact, that process has already started. Patrick Stewart reprised his iconic take on Professor Charles Xavier in Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, while Huge Jackman is set for one more go as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. But as of this writing, we still haven’t heard of any casting decisions for the next generation of X-Men.

It just wouldn’t be the X-Men without Wolverine, Cyclops, and others, but I do hope the MCU decides to break some new ground with mutants we haven’t seen in live action yet.

An example - Theresa Maeve Rourke Cassidy a.k.a Siryn.

As the daughter of another mutant hero, Sean “Banshee” Cassidy, Siryn inherited his trademark sonic scream that can incapacitate and injure a foe. It also sends powerful enough vibrations through the air to allow Siryn to fly.

We know Lynch’s range as an actress stretches far beyond what she’d be asked to do here. Siryn is Irish, complete with Becky’s famous fiery orange hair. It’s basically perfect casting.

I’m incredibly curious as to what role the MCU already already had in mind for The Man. Regardless, with her rumored casting and talk that Damian Priest auditioned for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it seems the possibility exists that more Superstars may be transitioning into superheroes — or villains — in the near future.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below. You can follow Rick Ucchino on Twitter and subscribe to the Bleav in Pro Wrestling Podcast Channel for more of his work.