Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Entertainment is making its first foray into the feature film ring with a project called "The Marine."

John Cena, the professional wrestler known to fans of WWE's weekly UPN series "Smackdown!" as the self-proclaimed "Doctor of Thuganomics," will take the title role.

Cena is in negotiations to star as an injured Marine who returns from the war to find his girlfriend inadvertently caught up in a kidnapping.

"The Marine" will be produced through WWE Films, the Beverly Hills-based film division of WWE that was launched in 2002.

Commercial helmer John Bonito has been tapped to direct. Bonito's credits include an array of award-winning action-sports campaigns, including the mini-movie promo "Rumble in the House" for NBC. His Arena Football League 2004 campaign, featuring Jon Bon Jovi and John Elway, recently swept the 2004 PROMAX/BDA awards, where Bonito won three Gold awards for directing, editing and funniest promo. (The short film also won best sound design.)

WWE Films president Joel Simon is producing "The Marine." Scouting has begun in Australia. Bonito and Simon have been attending casting sessions and are overseeing script rewrites.

The $15 million feature is scheduled to begin lensing in mid-September.

Sources said 20th Century Fox will distribute the film. Fox declined comment.

WWE was represented in the deal by Endeavor. Bonito is repped by ICM and attorney Michael Schenkman.