Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors on Roman Reigns, SmackDown and More

Like the matches and angles that captivate fans every week, the wrestling rumor mill continues to churn out headline-making reports featuring the industry's top stars.

What Hollywood role might Roman Reigns find himself in sooner rather than later? What is the latest on SmackDown's run time? How did Zoey Stark's injury Monday night on Raw affect the outcome of her Triple Threat Match with Rhea Ripley and Kairi Sane?

Find out with this collection of rumors from the industry's top insiders.

Update on SmackDown's Length

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Mike Johnson of PWInsider Elite reported that internal schedules at USA Network continue to promote SmackDown as a three-hour show, despite expectations that it would bump back to two hours this summer.

For fans of the show, it is not a welcome revelation as the hope that the Friday night staple would return to its typical two-our format made watching recent elongated episodes more palatable.

Three hour broadcasts force matches and segments to run longer than they should, watering down their overall quality. A contest that should have been an extended squash that puts over a new or returning Superstar, such as Aleister Black, suddenly becomes a longer, more competitive one that misses the mark and fails to accomplish the expected goal.

It makes the broadcaster happy in that it provides them an extra hour of television that they are already paying for, limiting the need for more original programming, but it hurts the overall quality of the WWE experience for viewers, which should be the No. 1 priority for the company.

Roman Reigns in Talks for Significant Movie Role

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Roman Reigns is eyeing a Hollywood career not unlike his cousin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and he could be getting a jump start on things in 2025.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that The Tribal Chief is in talks to play Akuma in a live action Street Fighter movie.

Reigns told Vanity Fair in an April interview, "After I finish the contract that I'm in, we probably got another year or two max. Then it's time to take on a less physical form of entertainment."

It sounds as though Reigns may not wait that full two years as opportunities begin to present themselves now.

Akuma is an interesting choice for The OTC. The game, the movie's source material, describes him as, "A demon of combat that has welcomed the Satsui no Hado into his being in his quest to become the ultimate master of the fist."

It seems a little one-dimensional for a pro wrestler and not a role that will allow Reigns to maximize his dramatic abilities, showcased at the height of the Bloodline Saga, but it figures to be a high-profile film with a significant fan base, so it will at least get him in front of audiences.

How Zoey Stark's Injury Changed Creative Plans on Raw

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Kairi Sane made her long-awaited return to WWE programming Monday night on Raw but saw her comeback end in defeat at the hands of Rhea Ripley and the Riptide.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Radio noted that the devastating knee injury suffered by Zoey Stark forced an audible in the Triple Threat Money in the Bank Qualifying Match as WWE officials did not want The Pirate Princess eating a pinfall or submission loss in her first night back.

All things considered, Ripley and Sane did a commendable job of picking up the pieces and finishing the math, even if it meant Sane had to go down in defeat in order to get to the intended outcome of The Eradicator cashing her ticket to Money in the Bank on June 7.

Sane can get back on track with a quality win as soon as this Monday's broadcast, but she proved selfless in the moment and that is not something management should or, hopefully, would take for granted.

No Darby Allin Plans for Sunday's Double or Nothing

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Sapp reported that, "For those asking, AEW was not expecting Darby Allin to be back by AEW Double or Nothing."

Allin reached the top of Mount Everest earlier this week, so the idea that he would return Sunday night at the company's pay-per-view event would seem rather far-fetched.

Of course, Allin has done the unthinkable before but this is likely too much to ask.

When he does return, expect him to be involved in a battle with Jon Moxley and the Death Riders, resuming a rivalry that he was at the center of before he left to accomplish his lifelong dream. The half-painted protector of AEW took on a "Sting in WCW" role of vigilante prior to his extended hiatus.

Could a world title be out of the question? Absolutely not. Long one of the pillars of the company, it is a feat his has earned.