Michael Hayes helped turn professional wrestling into an arena-sized soap opera before anyone squeezed one onto a smartphone. As a member of the Fabulous Freebirds, he made enemies of the Von Erich family and transformed Texas wrestling into must-see mayhem.

These days, the WWE Hall of Famer works behind the curtain, helping shape the company's biggest spectacles. However, the man who once made crowds boo with enthusiasm has rediscovered his inner villain.

His latest playground is Agent of Shadows, a pocket-sized spy thriller where trouble arrives in portrait mode.

Speaking with The Dallas Morning News, Michael Hayes discussed his appearance in Agent of Shadows, WWE's collaboration with short-form drama platform ReelShort, which premiered October 23.

“Playing a p****, not far from who I am,” Hayes joked, before adding that housewives seem to enjoy the format. “I've always got along with housewives all my life.”

The production trades wrestling's giant entrance ramps for vertical videos and rapid-fire cliffhangers. Its story follows secret agent Adam Hawke, who must protect a daughter he never knew existed while disguising himself as her nanny. James Bond would probably demand hazard pay.

Hayes joined Drew McIntyre, Jacob Fatu, Booker T, Ethan Page, Nikkita Lyons, and NXT's Hank and Tank. McIntyre plays Roscoe, the agent's technology-savvy right-hand man. Despite his packed schedule, Hayes filmed for three days, with scenes often moving forward after roughly three takes. 

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And Hayes is hardly the only WWE veteran bringing wrestling's theatrics into a different kind of ring.

Street Fighter has enlisted two enormous wrestling personalities for its latest cinematic tournament. Roman Reigns plays the fearsome Akuma, while Cody Rhodes becomes Guile, complete with that gloriously gravity-defying haircut. Director Kitao Sakurai surrounds them with Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li.

Released theatrically on October 16, the video-game adaptation opened with approximately $30.8 million domestically. By October 26, its worldwide total stood near $79.6 million against a reported $82 million production budget. Its second domestic weekend fell roughly 72%, suggesting the initial knockout punch has lost momentum.

The critical scorecard is similarly messy. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists 41% positive reviews from critics and 78% approval among verified audiences. Reviewers have criticized the chaotic storytelling and humor, while moviegoers have largely enjoyed the outrageous action and arcade nostalgia.

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Would you rather watch Hayes play the villain or see Reigns unleash Akuma's fury? Let us know in the comments.