Duke Nukem, the popular video game franchise, is all set for a big screen adaptation. The project is being set up by Platinum Dunes, a production company helmed by filmmaker Michael Bay. World Wrestling Entertainment superstar and occasional actor John Cena has been tipped to star in the titular role.
The Duke Nukem character first appeared in the 1991 video game of the same name. The character, described by video game magazine Retro Gamer as “the ultimate cheese hero, and a true remnant of 80’s action flicks”, is an overly masculine, politically incorrect, foul-mouthed, ultra-violent character who is mostly tasked with rescuing the world from aliens. His trademark look includes a blond flattop haircut, a red tank top, blue jeans, black army boots and Ray-Ban sunglasses that he refuses to take off at any point of the day. He is also seen constantly smoking a cigar.
Duke Nukem has been popular with women inside the game and, perhaps, as a commemoration to this aspect of his character, is shown to be running a strip club called The Ladykiller on the Las Vegas Strip in the 2011 game Duke Nukem Forever.
The character’s over-the-top histrionics and the dated aesthetics have made the game immensely popular among its fans. Duke Nukem has, so far, appeared in 19 video games.