WWE banks on its stars’ film potential

Mixed-martial arts star Rampage Jackson drew mixed reviews as B.A. Baracus in “The A-Team,” but World Wrestling Entertainment is hoping the stars who occupy its own ring can carry some new films – or at least play key character parts.

The Vince McMahon-run enterprise is pressing forward to make modestly budgeted films that feature (but don’t necessarily give lead roles to) the wrestlers whose careers it’s helped cultivate.

The latest development news comes with a new movie from the WWE wrestler known as Edge. He’ll star in “Chasing the Hawk,” an action comedy about a New Orleans lawyer who loses a classic car he holds dear and then sets out to find it.

Principals at WWE Studios, the organization’s film-production arm, say they hope to make more than just action films.

One previously announced development project: “Inside Out,” which stars Triple H, but in more of a crime drama, with the unlikely cast of Michael Rapaport, Parker Posey and Bruce Dern around him.

The wrestler formerly known as Paul Levesque will star in a family comedy called “The Chaperone,” about an ex-con who tries to take his teenage daughter on a class trip but finds the past catching up with him, “Kindergarten Cop” style.

There’s precedent for wrestlers springboarding to acting careers, most notably with Dwayne Johnson, who began his career in the ring as the Rock before breaking through as a star in his own right.

For the last few years, John Cena had been the biggest hope for WWE. The star of “The Marine” (which grossed $19 million at the domestic box office) stars in this fall’s high school wrestling movie “Legendary” as well as an untitled project the company is aiming for spring 2012.

Also up this fall is “Knucklehead,” starring wrestler the Big Show and centering on a get-rich-quick scheme.