5 Actors Who Should Play Vince McMahon In A Movie (& 5 Who Shouldn't)

Out of everyone in the history of wrestling who deserves a movie to be made about them, Vince McMahon is definitely a top candidate. After all, as boss of World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahon basically obliterated and absorbed much of his competition in multiple decades, and all the backstage drama and politicking of wrestling certainly could make for good drama.

As a powerful rich guy with a whole lot of foibles and an over-the-top personality, Vince McMahon could be a real meaty role for the right actor. But who would play such a unique figure? Let’s take a look at some actors who would be great choices, as well as ones who are less-than-stellar (but often cited) candidates.

10 Should: Christian Bale

The ridiculously versatile Christian Bale has portrayed several enigmatic, difficult men in positions of power like Dick Cheney and Bruce Wayne, and has proven more than willing to alter his physique as the role requires.

Playing Vince McMahon is a bit like combining elements of both aforementioned roles, but with the bodybuilding element figuring into McMahon’s psyche. And, unlike Cheney, the role of Vince McMahon would require a “showman” element that could be fun in Bale’s hands.

9 Shouldn’t: Josh Brolin

Many wrestling fans consider Vince McMahon an evil TV millionaire who might actually be a villain in real life, too, so they regularly fan-cast Josh Brolin because he has a gravelly voice and played Thanos.

It certainly makes sense from that perspective, but the choice is ultimately a bit superficial and based on a couple of Hollywood blockbusters. Brolin’s vibe is closer to “unscrupulous Southern wrestling promoter” than nouveau rich New York millionaire.

8 Should: Bradley Cooper

An actor who’s actually been rumored to play the role of Vince McMahon in an official biopic for Netflix, Bradley Cooper is an interesting choice to play the role. He’s certainly young enough to believably play several eras of adult Vince, but also old enough that old man makeup might not look too weird.

While it would be tempting to label him a generic hunk (The Hangover), Cooper has shown that he can play a chaotic guy (Silver Linings Playbook), a drunk country star (A Star is Born), and a surly raccoon (Guardians of the Galaxy).

7 Shouldn’t: Robert Downey Jr.

Speaking of “Marvel actors,” Robert Downey Jr. is also an attractive choice for many fans, as his showmanship as Tony Stark in the Iron Man movies is a bit reminiscent of a Vince McMahon type.

That said, he might not be right for the role. Downey is a master at playing the uber-sarcastic smartest guy in the room, but that’s not quite McMahon’s vibe. Maybe he could play Vince Russo.

6 Should: Michael Shannon

Known for his roles in Boardwalk Empire, The Shape of Water, and as the villain in Man of Steel, the terminally underrated Michael Shannon would be an amazing choice to play Vince McMahon.

The only thing is that he might be too old to play the role in one of those life-spanning biopics. However, he’d be perfect in a movie with a tighter temporal focus -- like the Hulk Hogan biopic starring Chris Hemsworth.

5 Shouldn’t: Daniel Day-Lewis

Considered one of cinema’s greatest living actors, Daniel Day-Lewis has shone in flicks like Phantom Thread, Gangs of New York, and My Left Foot, and garnered multiple Academy Award nominations and general acclaim. Naturally, some fans have considered him the perfect choice to play Vince McMahon.

That said, having such a superb performer play the boss of WWE seems like a waste of Lewis’ talent, considering he’s notoriously picky about his acting choices. Also, the idea of such a beloved actor playing Vince McMahon seems a bit too flattering.

4 Should: Tom Hardy

With his roles in films like Bronson and The Dark Knight Rises, Tom Hardy has done an incredible job playing violent, musclebound maniacs, and is the most perfect choice to play Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

One of the best things about Hardy is his ability to affect bizarre voices for many of his roles -- like the aforementioned Bane in The Dark Knight Rises -- so it would be both a hoot and a holler to see how he handles Vince McMahon’s manner of speaking.

3 Shouldn’t: Nicolas Cage

Because Vince McMahon is such a weird guy -- after all, he’s a millionaire who willingly embarrasses himself on television -- many fans consider professional weirdo leading man Nicolas Cage to be the obvious choice to play McMahon in a movie.

While that might be entertaining on principle, Cage is considered a weirdo due to some berserk performances and seeming lack of discretion when it comes to roles. While Nic Cage as Vince would be an amusing choice, would it necessarily be the BEST one?

2 Should: Joel Edgerton

Another underrated performer, fans may recognize Australian actor/screenwriter Joel Edgerton from recent roles like The King, Black Mass, and Bright. Like Tom Hardy, he’s a big guy, and his role in The King saw him as a boisterous warrior, which makes him feel like a good fit for Vince McMahon.

He’s not exactly a big movie star, but maybe that’s what the role would need -- not a recognizable actor, but a really good one.

1 Shouldn’t: Bryan Cranston

Based on his role in Breaking Bad, it makes sense that Bryan Cranston would be a fan’s choice to play Vince McMahon, given that Cranston’s Walter White was a gravelly-voiced man with dubious morality.

But the thing about Cranston in Breaking Bad is that he had a certain everyman quality that made his descent into darkness compelling, even if Walter White was a bit of a dweeb. None of that really sounds like Vince McMahon.

NEXT: 10 Backstage Stories About The McMahon Family We Can't Believe