Roku has announced that they have greenlit a new docuseries currently under the working title of WWE: Recruits. The new eight-part Roku Original series will be executive produced by WWE legend and World Champion John Cena as it chronicles the story of a group of young men and women as they compete to fulfill their dreams of becoming WWE Superstars.
The series, which currently does not have a release date or window, is currently filming, with locations including the recent WrestleMania 39, the biggest event in the calendar of World Wrestling Entertainment which took place n April 1 and 2 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The announcement also didn’t give any insight into whom the cast of wrestling hopefuls the series will be following, but did confirm that several wrestling legends and current Superstars will be making appearances throughout the show as well as several celebrity guests. Those that have been announced to be appearing include Cena, former WWE Champion Ettore “Big E” Ewan, current RAW Women‘s Champion Bianca Belair, and Hall of Famers Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Shawn Michaels, and Ric Flair, among others.
In addition to the announcement of the series, Cena provided a statement involving the new show, saying, “Millions around the world watch and dream of it, but only a handful of extraordinary individuals can become a WWE Superstar. I am so excited to bring WWE: Recruits to The Roku Channel and look forward to giving viewers an exclusive all-access perspective on how the WWE turns the dreams of talented young people into a reality.” Along with the Peacemaker star, the docuseries will be produced by WWE and A.Smith & Co-Productions. Arthur Smith, Frank Sinton, Ian Mallahan, Dan Baime join Cena as executive producers. Smith, who is also the CEO & Chairman of A. Smith & Co. Productions, provided a statement along with Cena, saying, “The journey begins here for the next generation of future WWE hopefuls to win a once-in-a-lifetime contract, giving them a platform to shine like never before. In our first time ever partnering with The Roku Channel and WWE, being the starmakers they are, WWE: Recruits is set to be television at its best with the best.” Sean Boyle, Head of Adventure and Exploration Programming at Roku Originals, also provided a statement where he said:
Roku Original series ‘WWE: Recruits’ not only unpacks how the WWE transforms unknown athletes into world-renowned stars, but also invites audiences into the lives of an unforgettable group of young people chasing their ultimate dream. We could not be more excited to work with the icon himself, John Cena, as our executive producer and our outstanding partners, the WWE and A. Smith & Co Productions, to share the untold story of this high-stakes world.
The Recent Sale Of The WWE
The announcement of the new series comes hot off the heels of not just the recent WrestleMania 39 but also the sale of the sports entertainment company to Endeavor Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC which will lead to the two brands merging into a new publicly traded company. The merger sees longtime WWE figurehead Vince McMahon set to take the position of executive chairman of this new company. This comes after McMahon seemingly retired during the summer of 2022 amidst allegations of sexual misconduct as well as an investigation by the company’s board of directors involving hush money payments.
WWE: Recruits is currently filming and does not have a release date or window currently scheduled. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates on the upcoming docuseries.
via Collider