Kevin Hart and John Cena to Lead Netflix’s Comic-Book Comedy “The Leading Man”

The action-comedy, penned by brothers Jon and Erich Hoeber, pivots on a selfish A-lister discovering his sidekick is the real-life secret agent—Hart and Cena will star and produce under Hartbeat’s multi-film pact with Netflix.

Netflix has acquired The Leading Man, an action-comedy adaptation of the Oni Press comic by Jeremy Haun and B. Clay Moore. The film will feature Kevin Hart and John Cena both starring and producing—a reunion of sorts with the streamer for Hart, and a strategic new venture for Cena.

The screenplay comes from Jon and Erich Hoeber, the brother-writing duo behind The Meg and Red, who previously sold the high-octane actioner Fast & Loose—intended for Will Smith—to Netflix. That project is currently in pre-production and looking for a new director after Michael Bay exited over creative differences.

In The Leading Man, Cena portrays a narcissistic, self-absorbed movie star who learns that his stoic “guy behind the chair”—played by Hart—is actually a real secret agent. The pair must set egos aside and collaborate to save the world, turning the typical action-star narrative on its head.

Regarding production, Hart will produce via his Hartbeat banner (with Luke Kelly-Clyne and Bryan Smiley), as part of his multi-film pact with Netflix. Additional producers include Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum (RK Films), Eric Gitter and Peter Schwerin (Ignition Productions), Cena, and Dan Baime. Executive producers will be Zak Roth, the Hoeber brothers, and Jeremy Haun.

This news arrives amid Hart’s ongoing Netflix commitments—including the upcoming comedy 72 Hours directed by Tim Story—and builds on his previous hits for the platform such as Fatherhood, Me Time, The Man from Toronto, Lift, and True Story.

John Cena, meanwhile, just completed Little Brother for Netflix opposite Eric André, after his Amazon MGM action comedy Heads of State drew over 75 million global viewers—placing it among the streamer’s most-watched films ever. His forthcoming slate includes Coyote vs. Acme and Peacemaker Season 2 on HBO Max.

No release date or director has been announced, and the project remains early in development. But with the comedic chemistry of Hart and Cena, seasoned writers, and strong producer backing, The Leading Man stands poised to become one of Netflix’s standout original action-comedies.

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