John Cena’s Overlooked 2010s Animated Movie Just Arrived on HBO Max

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Many wrestlers have become successful actors, and John Cena is definitely one of the biggest examples. After becoming a legendary WWE performer, Cena started his Hollywood career in 2006 with the film The Marine. Since then, he’s appeared in a wide variety of movies and shows, including Peacemaker and Blockers, and even a fantastic animated film from 2017 that’s now available on HBO Max.

The animated comedy Ferdinand, directed by Carlos Saldanha and featuring John Cena as the voice of the main character, is now available on HBO Max. The film tells the story of Ferdinand, a gentle Spanish fighting bull who prefers flowers to fighting. He finds happiness on a farm with a young girl, but is unexpectedly returned to his former owners and forced back into the bullfighting arena. With the help of some unlikely friends – a funny goat, three hedgehogs, and another kind cow – Ferdinand tries to escape and return to the peaceful ranch he loves.

John Cena’s Ferdinand Is Better Than Its Lukewarm Audience Reception

Checking Rotten Tomatoes might make you think twice about watching Ferdinand. It initially received a lukewarm audience score of only 53%. While it doesn’t reach the level of Pixar classics, Ferdinand is actually a genuinely sweet and enjoyable movie for the whole family. Surprisingly, it became a big hit on Netflix when it was available over the summer.

What makes Ferdinand a well-regarded film, earning a 70% rating from critics? A major reason is John Cena’s performance. He’s known for his tough-guy image as a wrestler, but here he shows off his range as an actor, convincingly playing a gentle and heartwarming character. The movie itself is a charming story about being true to who you are, making it a great choice for families. Plus, the animation is beautiful, really bringing the Spanish countryside to life, and the film is consistently funny thanks to its quirky characters and memorable moments, like a hilarious dance-off.

What’s New on HBO Max?

HBO Max is adding a lot of new movies this February, and it’s not just Ferdinand. Throughout the month, they’ve been streaming fun titles like the animated film Hop from 2011, plus Life of Pi, MacGruber, The Notebook, The Shape of Water, and Boys Go to Jupiter.

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2026-02-10 22:42