Duke Nukem is one of the most iconic video game properties of the 1990s, and it was recently announced that a movie adaptation is in development with the Cobra Kai creators over at Paramount. The series follows several alien attacks, but the high concept isn't the franchise's big appeal. The titular character is why players were so enamored by the games in the '90s, and that's why the casting of the movie is so important.
Duke is an action hero to the core, as he is full of confidence, spits out hilarious one-liners, and has the physique of Arnold Schwarzenegger in the '80s. Some movie stars fit that description, making them likely candidates, but the movie could be just interesting if the studio made a left-field casting choice.
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Campbell never reached the stardom it seemed like he was destined to achieve in the '80s. Instead, he became a cult figure and the face of the Evil Dead series. But the horror-comedy franchise showed just how great he is at being a leading Hollywood man while satirizing it at the same time.
Campbell has the same type of energy as Duke, and his wisecracking personality and confidence could lend themselves well to a Duke Nukem movie. And though some might think that Bruce Campbell is too old to play Duke, the actor played Ash right up until 2018 in Ash vs. the Evil Dead, and he embodied the suave chainsaw-for-a-hand character up until the very end.
John Cena
John Cena starred in two blockbuster 2021 movies, cementing himself as the go-to actor for macho high-testosterone characters. Cena is the most obvious choice for the video game character, especially given that he isn't afraid to look dumb and isn't opposed to ridiculous costumes.
Not only does the former wrestler have an uncanny resemblance to Duke and the same build, but Cena has proved with Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad that he can deliver outrageous one-liners with perfect comedy timing. However, the problem with casting the F9 actor as Duke Nukem is that Duke is so similar to Peacemaker, and Cena wouldn't be doing anything original.
Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Johnson hasn't had the best luck with video game movies, as he starred in 2005's Doom, which was a colossal failure. In the action-horror movie, Johnson plays Sgt. Asher, who has brutish aggression and is armed to the teeth with huge guns, which is essentially Duke without the outgoing personality.
Given that Johnson has built his brand over the past ten years and presents himself as a one-liner generator, he could be a likely candidate for Duke Nukem. However, just like Cena, Johnson's portrayal of Duke may not be all that different from characters like Hobb in the Fast and Furious series or Frank in the recently released Jungle Cruise.
Margot Robbie
Duke Nukem is obviously a male, and he's a rugged, masculine, testosterone-fuelled male at that, but that's why a gender swap could work so well. It's no secret that a lot of the misogynistic jokes in the Duke Nukem games haven't aged well, so it's unlikely that the studio will adapt the series in the traditional sense. It'll probably be a meta and self-aware movie that pokes fun at itself, à la Jump Street or Deadpool, and in that respect, a female Duke Nukem really could work.
Margot Robbie already has iconic characters under her belt, as she's Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe, and she'll be playing a Jack Sparrow-type pirate in the Pirates of the Caribbean reboot. But given how funny she is as Harley and how well she can hit the emotional beats, Robbie could turn Duke into a three-dimensional character better than anyone.
Josh Lawson
Josh Lawson doesn't have a huge filmography, but he was recently praised for his performance in another video game movie, Mortal Kombat. In many ways, Kano is a lot like Duke, whether it's excitingly killing monsters or having an almost obnoxious amount of confidence. However, Kano was killed off in Mortal Kombat, meaning it's unlikely that Lawson will return for the sequel.
That's a huge disappointment for fans, as Kano had the best moments in Mortal Kombat. However, that also means that Duke could be something of a spiritual successor to Kano for Lawson. The actor could apply the same sensibilities to Duke, only he wouldn't be a repulsive mercenary.
Kumail Nanjiani
Kumail Nanjiani has become one of those actors who is cast for the distinct humor he brings to each role. Just like Taiki Waititi and Ryan Reynolds, Nanjiani is cast in roles where he's expected to be the goofy and out-of-touch with reality type character that he has perfected.
But whether it's in Eternals or Obi-Wan Kenobi, all of his roles in blockbuster movies and series have been part of ensemble casts, and the actor needs his own action-packed comedy vehicle. Nanjiani's dry wit is perfect for the movie adaptation, and where his characters generally aren't very smart, their confidence is often misplaced, which could make for an interesting spin on Duke's conviction and lead to all sorts of problems.
Steven Ogg
Most of the best candidates for Duke are huge stars, but that's not simply because they're recognizable and will bring in millions of dollars at the box office. Duke oozes charisma and is a physical specimen, and that's the way the current landscape of actors looks at the minute. However, though Steven Ogg isn't a bankable star and doesn't physically resemble Duke, he still has the potential to be a great version of the character.
Ogg is known for bit parts in shows like Better Call Saul, but his biggest role to date is the unpredictable trigger-happy Trevor in Grand Theft Auto V. The role wasn't just voice acting, but it was full-on motion capture, and the actor's agility in the role led to great body humor, he delivered the vulgar dialogue with flare, and there isn't any other comedy violence like it. And while being the current face of Old Spice isn't a huge claim to fame, those commercials are actually a perfect showcase of his magnetism.
Antony Starr
Antony Starr still has a long career ahead of him, as his role as the evil Homelander in the extremely explicit The Boys has earned him so many new fans. The character has parental issues and acts out in massive bouts of murderous rage just to vent his frustration, and he once even abandoned a plane full of people, one of the worst things a Boys character has done. It's almost as if Superman was secretly a villain, and Starr somehow makes fans find Homelander despicable and hilarious at the same time, and after all the terrible things he has done, viewers still empathize with him.
Starr deserves his very own vehicle that's still exciting but isn't quite as mortifying. He looks the part, and given that Homelander is such a dense character that's surely exhausting to play, Starr could let his hair down in a fun, ridiculous action movie. Duke Nukem would be just as violent as The Boys, but audiences wouldn't feel conflicted about being entertained by it.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Where most candidates for the Duke Nukem role come from an entertainment background like wrestling or are comedy actors first and foremost, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is one of the few classically trained actors who could have fun with the role. Abdul-Mateen could bring gravitas to the role that few other actors could, but he has also shown he can be funny and an action hero too.
The actor was the MVP of The Matrix Resurrections and audiences saw a glimmer of Duke when Morpheus (Abdul-Mateen) marched through the hallway with two machine guns. There's no doubt that he could be dramatic, hilarious, and heroic all at the same time and embody the spirit of Duke Nukem, but he hasn't been given a chance to prove that yet.
Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum hasn't always been an acclaimed actor, as he was generally the hunky lead in romantic dramas, but filmmakers quickly learned that he had incredible comedy chops. Whether it was a small cameo in This Is The End or a main role in the meta Jump Street series, Tatum has constantly surprised audiences.
The actor had quietly been on a hiatus from the big screen, as he hadn't had a major non-voice acting role since 2017 until this year's Dog and The Lost City. Playing Duke Nukem could be the perfect comeback to the big screen for an undervalued comedy actor.