How Marlon Brando’s award-winning film rescued Roman Reigns and WWE from dire straits.
"Everything changed for Roman after this": Marlon Brando's Oscar Winning Movie Helped Roman Reigns Save WWE From a Nightmare Spot

Roman Reigns’ heel turn in 2020 transformed him from a divisive figure to a dominant superstar, solidifying his status in WWE.
Reigns drew inspiration from Brando’s Colonel Kurt in Apocalypse Now, shaping his Tribal Chief persona in WWE.

Well, who doesn’t know Marlon Brando? He was widely considered one of the most influential actors of all time. Surprisingly, his influence extended to the unexpected world: American wrestling, notably for Roman Reigns. The 38-year-old is the WWE’s best superstar.
Marlon Brando as Vito CorleoneMarlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972)

The former footballer marked a remarkable turning point after his heel turned, capturing every fan’s fantasy in terms of booking expectations. However, it’s interesting to explore how Reigns’ heel turn changed everything.

Roman Reigns Heel Turn Solidified His Status As WWE’s Premier Talent

The world of wrestling is mostly all about the heroes and villains, it plays an important role in sparking the excitement of fans. The opponents are very crucial to helping elevate the narratives, matches, and characters. 

SUGGESTED
“The Rock has already gotten in his head”: Roman Reigns Might Have Made a Grave Mistake by Trusting Dwayne Johnson Before WrestleMania Tag-Team Match

“The Rock has already gotten in his head”: Roman Reigns Might Have Made a Grave Mistake by Trusting Dwayne Johnson Before WrestleMania Tag-Team Match

In past years, WWE has seen a bunch of wrestlers flip to the dark side, making their characters more interesting and creating new stars in the process. Roman Reigns pulled off a major makeover in 2020 when he turned heel, solidifying his status as WWE’s premier talent.
Roman Reigns (via WWE)Roman Reigns (via WWE)

This move changed how fans saw him, from a guy who divided opinions to an absolute superstar. Overall, Reigns’ heel turn has changed his career. The character switch has done more good than the year before when the good-guy persona was feeling a little flat.

He had really nailed the character, making him feel like a force to be reckoned with. However, it’s worth noting that the fans’ frustration was not with Reigns the man, but Roman Reigns, the character.

SUGGESTED
“No one has come this close ever before”: Roman Reigns is the Only One Who Can Break This WWE Record That Looked Impossible Even For John Cena and The Rock

“No one has come this close ever before”: Roman Reigns is the Only One Who Can Break This WWE Record That Looked Impossible Even For John Cena and The Rock

Fans were also supportive when he took time off for health reasons. And even though the WWE had kind of overdone his old character, fans were ready to cheer him on when he came back, no matter what.

Amid all of this, the pandemic also had an impact on WWE’s events. During COVID-19, WWE’s events took a hit, but Reigns’ heel turn added some excitement during that time. These events greatly impacted the wrestler, directing him to important decisions and ultimately changing his career for the better. But in any case, who inspired him? That is the big question.

Roman Reign Found Inspiration In Marlon Brando’s Apocalypse Now

Roman Reigns as The Undisputed WWE Universal ChampionRoman Reigns as The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion (credit: WWE)

Reigns has been holding down the WWE Universal Hero title for over three years now. He sets up a good foundation for himself as the head honcho in the company, the responsibility of the Tribal Chief.

But it turns out that his inspiration came from an unexpected source, none other than Marlon Brando’s iconic role. The professional wrestler wasn’t aiming to imitate Don Corleone from The Godfather, though.

Instead, he was attracted to the contorted depiction of Colonel Walter Kurt in Apocalypse Now, played by Brando. As per Paul Heyman, it was his suggestion that Reigns watch the movie, paying close attention to Brando’s personality. He told Barrett Sports Media,

“I had Roman Reigns watch Apocalypse Now multiple times. To me, that was the heart and soul of the character of the Tribal Chief. A warrior so great that he conquered his own island.”

Further, Heyman explained, 

“Brando presented himself as a pseudo-God. We call it a Tribal Chief. ..That’s where the villainry of Roman Reigns comes in because he says ‘Acknowledge me,’ and [at] once you acknowledge him.”

Brando’s depiction of a pseudo-god-like figure resonated with Reigns, forming his way of dealing with the Tribal Chief persona. The demand for acknowledgment, the aura of power, everything clicked for Reigns, driving his transformation into a formidable bad guy in the WWE universe.

SUGGESTED
Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman Wanted to Beat Peaky Blinders, Breaking Bad and The Sopranos’ Villain Arc With The Tribal Chief Storyline

Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman Wanted to Beat Peaky Blinders, Breaking Bad and The Sopranos’ Villain Arc With The Tribal Chief Storyline

Fans also have a lot to say about this. One fan (Rakshit Shah) even commented on social media, “Everything changed for Roman after this. He became a megastar in the wrestling industry.”  While others also chimed in.

Reigns’ journey has indeed been impressive, inspiring countless others along the way.