Roman Reigns has made his future intentions clear: he will not be leaving WWE for a full-time career in Hollywood. Instead, he aims to be the first top-tier star to successfully lead major film projects while simultaneously remaining a main event performer in professional wrestling.
In a recent appearance on What’s Your Story? with Stephanie McMahon, Reigns addressed the path taken by predecessors like The Rock, John Cena, and Batista, who stepped away from the ring to pursue acting. He stated a desire to carve a different legacy.
“I wanted to be the first guy who could do both,” Reigns said. “D**m near lead a movie and then also still main event a pay-per-view. I don’t want to stop being a WWE Superstar in order to wear other hats. I’m always going to be a WWE Superstar.”
This ambition is already in motion with his casting as Akuma in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie. Reigns, billed under his real name Joe Anoa’i, is scheduled to begin filming in Australia in September for approximately four weeks. The film, a joint production from Legendary, Sony, and Capcom slated for a 2026 release, will also feature fellow WWE star Cody Rhodes as Guile.
Beyond Street Fighter, Reigns is also part of the cast for the Amazon MGM Studios heist comedy The Pickup, alongside Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson. This follows his role in the 2024 film Good Fortune, which featured Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen.
His current commitment to juggling both industries marks a notable shift from previous statements. In an interview from April 2025, Reigns confirmed his WWE contract is set to expire after WrestleMania in 2026, after which he planned to focus on “entertainment less physical” than wrestling.
Despite his growing Hollywood obligations, Reigns is scheduled for a more frequent presence on WWE programming in 2025. His increased appearances on Raw and SmackDown coincide with Monday Night Raw’s move to Netflix, and his upcoming match against Bronson Reed at WWE Clash in Paris will be his first premium live event singles match since 2024.