#F9 Newcomer John Cena Declares Himself the Greatest Villain in Fast & Furious History

Over the course of two decades, Vin Diesel’s main character Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise has faced off against a number of formidable foes, from Dwayne Johnson’s Luke Hobbs to Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw, and Charlize Theron’s Cipher. In Fast & Furious 9, Dom will be up against Jakob, his younger brother with a huge grudge against him. John Cena, who will be playing Jakob, recently told Collider that it was an honor to portray the greatest adversary Dom has ever faced.

“I certainly didn’t overlook the responsibility of the opportunity. I get to reap the rewards of this family who has poured the foundation and built the structure of a global delivering blockbuster. I get invited into the ninth installment to share the last name Toretto and to be Dom’s greatest adversary of all time. That is not lost. I think it has to start there. It has to start with respect. It goes back to what Justin says about earning your next chapter. I believe that’s a nice metaphor for life, as well. Everything we get should be earned. I was grateful enough to develop a relationship with Vin, and Vin was gracious enough to give me a chance. I forever thank him, and I always do, for betting on me.”

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The trailer for F9 has already shown what a significant threat Jakob is. The character has been described as a master thief, assassin, and high-performance driver, who can stand alone against not only Dom but his entire crew. Jakob is also working with Cipher and seems intent on destroying everything that Dom holds dear. According to John Cena, his experience as a wrestler for WWE made him understand that he needed to prove his mettle in order to be considered a true part of the Fast & Furious family.

“I remember telling [Diesel] a long time ago that I wouldn’t let him down because I love the body of work that’s been established and it’s an honor. I knew what it’s like, in my experiences in the WWE, to be the new kid in the locker room. I also knew what it’s like in the WWE to be the 15-year vet, when I look at the new kid in the locker room like, “Who the hell is this?” You always want to make sure someone’s intentions are genuine and their passion is true. Regardless of how many installments of the franchise you’ve been involved with, I believe if the heart is there, you get to experience that welcoming family environment. I experienced it firsthand onset and after the workday was done. It’s memories that I’ll remember forever. It’s a very wonderful experience.”

Directed by Justin Lin, F9 stars Vin Diesel, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, and Sung Kang, with Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, and Cardi B. The film arrives in theaters on May 28. This news was first reported at Collider.

Topics: Fast and Furious 9, Fast and Furious