Throughout his storied career in professional wrestling, CM Punk has demonstrated a masterful ability to manipulate crowd reactions, thriving equally as a beloved anti-hero and a despised antagonist. While his current run since returning to the ring in 2021—and specifically his return to WWE in late 2023—has positioned him primarily as a top babyface, the “Best in the World” has never hidden his affection for the darker side of storytelling. In his upcoming film project, Night Patrol, Punk will once again have the opportunity to embrace his villainous chops, a role he recently discussed with enthusiasm.
Speaking in a new interview with ComicBookMovie.com to promote the film, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion opened up about the appeal of playing the antagonist. For Punk, the freedom and aesthetic of the villain often outweigh the moral rigidity of the hero. He explained that there is an inherent allure to the bad guy that often makes them more compelling than the protagonist they are fighting against.
“It’s one of those where you’re looking around like, I would do this for free but they’re paying me. It’s a lot of fun. There’s something about villains that I think are — Villains are often times, for lack of a better word, sexier than the good guys,” Punk said. “Villains get to do fun stuff. Villains got the better weapons, the better outfits. Cobra is cooler than GI Joe. But, this movie really kind of turns that on its side and explores it, like who really are the villains here.”
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