For months, WWE fans have eagerly awaited the release of the Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson-produced documentary, WrestleMania XL: Behind The Curtain. The project, announced with much fanfare, promised an inside look at The Rock’s return to WWE, chronicling the journey to his WrestleMania match. The documentary captures the excitement of his return, the heartbreak experienced by some, notably Cody Rhodes, and the decision-making process led by Paul “Triple H” Levesque that culminated in the main event featuring Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins versus Roman Reigns and The Rock.
For those who didn’t follow the backstage drama from January through the first weekend of April, or who didn’t watch WWE’s television product religiously, the documentary offers plenty of entertaining moments. It includes scenes like Rhodes learning about the potential Rock-Roman match and the backstage meetings that shaped the final main event. However, for fans who were in the know and followed every step, the documentary might come off as a bit of propaganda or even revisionist history.
Take, for example, the revelation that Rhodes was informed on the day of the Royal Rumble that Rock-Roman was a possibility. If that were true, why did Rhodes, a loyal company man, publicly declare his desire to face Reigns, with cameras capturing the moment and Michael Cole hyping it up? Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Cole to play up the ambiguity and for Rhodes to be more cautious in his statements?
The documentary attempts to spin this by showing The Rock discussing with writers and media how to make things right for everyone. However, it feels more like a revisionist take rather than an authentic, in-the-moment reaction. The documentary even reveals that the initial plan was Rhodes-Reigns, then Rock-Reigns, before finally settling on the main event that fans witnessed.
Ultimately, WrestleMania XL: Behind The Curtain provides an insider’s perspective on The Rock’s return, portraying him as a hero who answered fans’ pleas for another match in a grand way. Even though a Rock-Reigns feud now seems unlikely in the near future, fans can look forward to the ongoing storyline between the “Final Boss” and the WWE Champion, which serves as a solid payoff to a contentious situation.
One standout segment in the documentary features The Rock discussing how he allowed Cody Rhodes to finish his story. The Rock recounts a conversation with Nick Khan, Triple H, and Ari Emanuel, where he expressed his concerns about upsetting a segment of fans. He ultimately decided to let Rhodes have his moment, referring to Rhodes’ supporters as the “Cody Crybabies.”
While The Rock’s statements are technically correct—casual fans would have loved Rock-Reigns, and even hardcore fans might have come around to it—the way he discusses it rubs some fans the wrong way. WWE played into the “We Want Cody” narrative, amplifying it beyond the organic fan support. If The Rock wants to take credit for this decision, he can, but it’s clear that the situation is more complex than he portrays.
As a wrestling fan, I tend to overthink everything that happens both inside and outside the squared circle. So, when WrestleMania XL: Behind the Curtain missed its announced release date, my mind started racing with theories about what might be going on. WWE had promoted the documentary extensively, even releasing a trailer on YouTube, making it seem like it would be one of the best wrestling documentaries on Peacock. Yet, here we are, still waiting for its release.
One logical theory is that WWE realized they had too much footage from the two-day wrestling extravaganza and couldn’t edit it in time for the planned April 10, 2024 debut. Compiling, editing, and releasing such a comprehensive documentary in just three days after the event’s conclusion would have been a monumental task, even for WWE.
Another possibility is that the scope of the project changed, forcing WWE to include more content from the rest of the two-night card. While Cody Rhodes’ feud with the Bloodline was the main attraction, other significant events occurred, such as Rhea Ripley’s successful title defense, Jade Cargill’s WrestleMania debut, and Damian Priest’s emotional title win. Including these moments would make the documentary more comprehensive and engaging.
There’s also the chance that someone jumped the gun with the April 10th release date, announcing it too early before everything was ready. While this seems unlikely given WWE’s meticulous planning, it’s not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
Another theory involves the upcoming WWE/Netflix deal, which includes documentaries. With Monday Night Raw moving to Netflix in 2025, WWE might be holding off on releasing Behind the Curtain for free on YouTube, opting instead to release it on Netflix when the deal goes live. This would align with WWE’s strategy to maximize the value of its content.
Lastly, there’s a more speculative theory that The Rock could be holding the documentary hostage until he has approval of every frame. While this seems far-fetched, comments from The Rock’s confidant Brian Gewirtz have fueled such speculation. Whether this is just a tongue-in-cheek comment or has some truth to it, it’s an intriguing possibility.
Regardless of the reasons behind the delay, fans remain excited to see WrestleMania XL: Behind the Curtain. In the meantime, there are plenty of upcoming WWE events to look forward to, keeping the excitement alive.
Source: WWE, Fightful, Deadline
