Drew McIntyre’s current WWE absence has coincided with the busiest acting stretch of his career, but the former WWE Champion has made it clear that his move into film is not a permanent departure from professional wrestling.
McIntyre has not appeared on WWE programming since his loss to Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 42. A recent training video posted by McIntyre has fueled speculation that he could be preparing for an eventual return, though he has not announced a date or offered a specific timetable for getting back in the ring.
For now, McIntyre’s attention has been divided by a growing list of projects away from WWE. He has been filming the upcoming Highlander reboot, where he is set to appear alongside Henry Cavill. McIntyre is also attached to The Last Druid with Russell Crowe, and he has voiced a character for the animated film Hexed. His screen work follows his September 2024 appearance in The Killer’s Game, which starred fellow WWE alumnus Dave Bautista.
While McIntyre’s imposing look, commanding delivery, and decades of experience performing before large audiences would seem to make acting a natural fit, he said that Hollywood was not part of a long-term plan. Wrestling was always the career he wanted, and the chance to pursue movies developed through relationships rather than an active attempt to leave WWE behind.
For more background on this topic, read Sami Zayn Calls His Self-Awareness ‘A Gift and a Curse’ as WWE Undisputed Champion.
Bautista helped open the door
McIntyre explained that Bautista played an important role in giving him his first major opportunity in the film world. The two have known each other for years, and Bautista believed McIntyre’s personality could translate successfully to a different kind of performance environment.
“He’s grown up around me. He knows my personality. We’re friends. He said, ‘I think you’d be really good in this world and I want you try this because I think this could be an option for you in the future,’” McIntyre said.
The opportunity in The Killer’s Game gave McIntyre an entry point that has led to more work. That distinction matters in the way he has described this next chapter. McIntyre was not presenting himself as a wrestler looking for an exit strategy or a celebrity attempting to build a second career off his WWE name. Instead, film opportunities arrived, he took them seriously, and the work has continued to develop.
That organic progression has now placed him in several projects with prominent actors and very different formats. A live-action action franchise such as Highlander, a film featuring Crowe in The Last Druid, and voice work in Hexed each require different approaches. McIntyre’s schedule reflects a performer who has moved beyond a one-time cameo and into a sustained run of screen work.
It also illustrates the increasingly familiar path available to major WWE personalities. WWE has long served as a launching point for performers who can carry their charisma beyond the ring, but finding lasting opportunities in film remains a demanding challenge. McIntyre is attempting to build that career while retaining a clear connection to the company that made him a global wrestling star.
McIntyre says WWE is still his home
Despite his Hollywood commitments, McIntyre did not frame his current situation as a choice between wrestling and acting. He instead emphasized that WWE remains central to his identity and credited the company’s leadership for allowing him to explore work beyond its regular schedule.
“You know, WWE’s my home and I appreciate Nick Khan and Triple H letting me go out and explore this world and hopefully it’s beneficial to both worlds,” McIntyre said.
That statement offers a straightforward view of McIntyre’s position. He has not suggested that he is finished with WWE, nor has he characterized his time away as a retirement. The focus is on making the most of a rare window to film projects while maintaining the possibility of returning when the circumstances make sense.
McIntyre’s remarks also underline the value WWE can see in a talent broadening his mainstream profile. A successful acting role can introduce a wrestler to audiences who may not watch weekly wrestling television, while the performer’s existing WWE following can provide added visibility to a film project. For McIntyre, the goal is evidently for that relationship to work in both directions rather than become a clean break from wrestling.
His absence has naturally created questions among fans because McIntyre was last seen taking a high-profile WrestleMania defeat to Jacob Fatu. WrestleMania losses frequently become turning points in WWE narratives, whether they lead immediately to a new rivalry, a character shift, or a temporary exit from television. In McIntyre’s case, there has not yet been a confirmed storyline explanation for his extended time away. His film schedule provides a practical reason for the gap, but WWE has not announced when he will return to programming.
The training footage he recently shared has added another layer to that discussion. Wrestlers routinely train while away from television, particularly when preparing for future assignments or simply maintaining the conditioning required by their profession. The video does not confirm a comeback date. It does, however, reinforce that McIntyre remains physically engaged with the demands of his wrestling career even while filming.
“Hollywood Drew” is expected back
McIntyre left little doubt that he expects to wrestle again. In addressing the balance between his two professional worlds, he said a WWE return is part of the plan, even if the timing is not settled.
“But when the time is right, Hollywood Drew will be back. But the time’s not right, not quite yet,” McIntyre said.
The phrase “Hollywood Drew” could prove significant whenever he does return. McIntyre has reinvented himself more than once during his WWE career, from his early presentation as a chosen future star to his run outside the company, his return as a rebuilt main-event force, and his reign as WWE Champion. A return after working alongside established film stars gives WWE an obvious real-life element it could incorporate into his presentation, should both sides choose to do so.
There is no indication yet of whether McIntyre’s eventual comeback will involve a new character direction, a continuation of his prior WWE persona, or an immediate confrontation with a specific opponent. His last televised defeat to Fatu is the most recent in-ring point of reference, but no official continuation has been confirmed. Until McIntyre or WWE provides more detail, any assumptions about his first program back would be speculation.
What is known is that McIntyre continues to see WWE and film as connected parts of his professional future. He also pointed to Agent of Shadows as an example of the two industries coming together, noting the involvement of WWE Superstars and legends in the project.
“But I’m glad that with ‘Agent of Shadows’, the two worlds were able to collide and we have so many of our Superstars and legends in that project,” McIntyre said.
That outlook fits McIntyre’s broader approach. Rather than treating Hollywood as a distraction from WWE, he views acting as another platform where wrestling’s performers can show different skills and reach different audiences. It is a perspective shaped by his own journey: an unexpected invitation from Bautista led to a role in The Killer’s Game, which in turn helped establish momentum for further opportunities.
What comes next for McIntyre
McIntyre’s immediate future appears to remain centered on fulfilling his movie commitments. Highlander, The Last Druid, and Hexed give him a varied slate that can continue to expand his profile outside the ring. At the same time, his comments leave the door fully open for WWE to bring him back when his schedule permits and when the company identifies the right creative moment.
For WWE, McIntyre remains one of its most accomplished modern stars. He has carried the company as a world champion, worked at the top level of major events, and consistently presented himself as a credible threat against WWE’s biggest names. A lengthy absence does not diminish the significance he can bring to a roster upon returning; if anything, time away can make a top star’s reappearance feel more meaningful when it is timed correctly.
For McIntyre, the present moment is not about closing one chapter for another. It is about pursuing an opportunity that he never expected while keeping a firm connection to the career he always wanted. His return is not imminent by his own admission, but he has made one point clear: Hollywood may be keeping Drew McIntyre busy, yet WWE remains home.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.