Goodbye DC! Dwayne Johnson Jumps Ship to $7 Billion Franchise

Dwayne Johnson claims to be a man of the people and has revealed that his selection of roles is always about an “audience first” mentality. However, we would argue that the millions of dollars the man makes per movie also have a lot to do with what roles he takes. Still, he is a highly celebrated action star and is now set to be the face of a multi-billion dollar franchise.

Related: Disney Star Pegs Dwayne Johnson for ‘Monsters Inc.’ Reboot

Disney and many companies know Dwayne Johnson’s draw, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that they are all vying to get the man to sign a contract. Even with the drama surrounding him regarding Black Adam bombing, his subsequent bid to try and take over the DCU, and the highly controversial kidnapping scandal he was named in— Johnson puts butts in the seats.

Black Adam was certainly an odd case, as the promotion for the movie was top-level, but it could have been that many casual superhero fans just don’t know who the anti-hero is. Either way, Johnson and DC’s marriage ended quickly. The movie was considered a bomb and a rare occurrence where the popularity of Dwayne Johnson was just not enough to drag DC out of the rut they had been in, cinematically speaking.

It might have also just been because Black Adam was a holdout from the DCEU era (otherwise known as the SnyderVerse era), James Gunn and Peter Safran had complete control, and Johnson’s feature did not fit into their grand plan. Either way, Johnson quickly ditched the idea of becoming a focal point of the superhero game and is now heading back to another franchise worth more than $7 billion.

The highly successful franchise that mimics the same ability that Johnson has to bring in droves of fans is Fast & Furious. The long-standing franchise just released its tenth film, aptly titled Fast X. The film showcases the return of many characters the world has come to know and love. Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto, Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Han Lue (Sung Kang), Shaw (Jason Statham), Mia (Jordanna Brewster), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and more all returned to race cars and defy the laws of physics.

However, the addition of Jason Momoa’s Dante and Brie Larson’s Tess has pushed this sequel to over $500 million at the worldwide box office. That, and the return of fan-favorite characters like Jason Cena’s Jakob, Charlize Theron’s Cipher, and the return of Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, has fans going wild.

Hobbs’s return sparks a huge turning point for Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel, who were at each other’s throats before production began on Fast X. Diesel claimed Johnson did not know how to act, which resulted in Johnson clapping back at Diesel and dropping out of Fast X, along with the proposed Hobbs and Shaw sequel. However, Johnson stated that there is no bad blood between the two and revealed he is now getting his Fast & Furious film.

Dwayne Johnson Returns as Hobbs

Dwayne Johnson broke the news via Twitter, which was then shared through The Wrap. The fan-favorite actor announced that the reception for Hobbs’s return was so mighty that it has now led to a tie-in movie that will see the man become the focal point for the Fast & Furious franchise.

He was already given a sort of solo movie in Hobbs and Shaw, but now Johnson will be the leading man in a film that will bridge the gap of events between Fast X and Fast X Part 2. Johnson revealed his solo outing “Will serve as a fresh, new chapter & set up for FASTX: Part II.”

We are unsure if that means some of the cast from Fast X will appear, but that is likely a safe bet considering the film is intended to tie the presumed finales together. Either way, we hope he busts through another cast using only the power of his muscles.

Johnson also indicated, “Last summer Vin and I put all the past behind us.” The pair made up and also kept his return a secret from everyone. That is certainly not easy; we’re looking at you, Marvel. Now, fans can see Hobbs return to the franchise correctly.

Fast X Part 2 is set to release in 2025, so this Hobbs solo movie will certainly be released sometime in 2024. Dwayne Johnson could also theoretically create his spinoff franchise now that Vin Diesel is stepping away.

Are you excited to see Dwayne Johnson in Fast & Furious? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!