Add as a preferred source on Google Drew McIntyre is off WWE television for a simple reason. He has commitments outside the ring.
The Scottish Warrior hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania 42, where he lost to Jacob Fatu in an Unsanctioned Match. His continued absence from Friday Night SmackDown has since sparked fan speculation.
According to PWInsider‘s Mike Johnson, McIntyre is currently in Scotland filming his remaining scenes for the Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill. He will play Angus MacLeod, the brother of Cavill’s lead character.
McIntyre managed to balance filming with the Road to WrestleMania, which allowed him to appear at the year’s biggest show. For now, though, WWE has not set a date for his return.
The film also features Dave Bautista, Russell Crowe, Karen Gillan, Marisa Abela, Djimon Hounsou and Max Zhang, and is directed by John Wick franchise helmer Chad Stahelski. Production was previously delayed after Cavill suffered an injury in training.
Despite this new run in film, McIntyre does not appear close to retirement. In a recent interview on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight, he said he sees no reason to slow down while he’s still happy, pointing to LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo as athletes still performing at an elite level in their 40s.
In short, his current absence is not due to injury or disciplinary action. It is simply a temporary break to finish a major project outside WWE.