WWE superstar Damien Priest almost had a role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but the role was taken from him. However, according to Priest, it wasn’t Disney or Marvel Studios that nixed the deal, and there could have been another party involved. Priest has become one of the most exciting names in wrestling, having won the WWE United States Championship in 2021 and the World Heavyweight Championship. With a star presence, Priest seemed destined to make the leap into acting with fellow WWE wrestlers Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Dave Bautista.
It seems Priest came very close to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In an interview on Insight With Chris Van Vilet, Priest revealed he was offered a role in the hit 2022 MCU sequel. While Priest does not disclose which role it was, it seems that the role was likely Attuma, the loyal right-hand warrior of Namor, who in the film was played by Alex Livinalli. While some have suggested the role Priest was offered was the main antagonist Namor, there is more evidence pointing to it being Attuma as the character is a towering presence, with Livinalli standing at 6ft 3, just a little short of Priest’s 6ft 5 frame. He said, “It’s a long story, but … basically … it got taken away from me, but not from Marvel.” When asked if he knew who took the role, Priest responds, “Yeah,” but does not elaborate.
Did the WWE Stop Priest from Joining the MCU
It is very possible that Priest’s offer was shut down by the WWE itself, specifically former President Vince McMahon. McMahon was notoriously controlling of the wrestlers in the WWE, often not wanting to share them with others and only wanting them to appear in WWE-sponsored projects. Mercedes Moné has previously mentioned how the WWE tried to stop her from appearing in The Mandalorian Season 2, often making it difficult for her to get time off to film the series, which likely played a part in her not appearing in The Mandalorian Season 3. Former wrestler and MCU star Dave Bautista notably clashed with the WWE around the time he began pursuing a career in acting.
In January 2024, McMahon resigned in January 2024 after allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault. If McMahon was the stumbling block, Priest could hopefully now pursue other acting projects in the future. Marvel Studios has a history of coming back to actors they considered for one role to take on another, as Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman initially tested for Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, which eventually went to WWE star Dave Bautista. With many new characters, such as the X-Men, set to be cast in the not too distant future, there could certainly be plenty of characters that Priest could become as part of the Marvel franchise.