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Credit: ABC (left), Disney (right)Actor Dwayne Johnson may not be reprising an iconic role with The Walt Disney Company after all.
Everyone knows that Dwayne The Rock Johnson, a former WWE Champion, burst onto the Hollywood scene with his performance in The Mummy Returns (2001), which was followed up by The Scorpion King (2002), solidifying his status as an action star. However, it was his versatility that has kept him around and allowed him to become one of the most recognizable names in the world today.
Dwayne Johnson’s collaboration with Disney began with family-friendly films like The Game Plan (2007) and Race to Witch Mountain (2009), endearing himself to audiences of all ages. He further expanded his Disney portfolio by taking on the role as the voice of the demigod Maui in the animated musical Moana (2016). His performance, which included the hit song “You’re Welcome,” showcased his vocal talents and comedic timing. The film’s critical acclaim and box office success marked yet another success for Disney and Johnson together.
As a matter of fact, the animated film was so popular that it inspired its own attraction in Walt Disney World Resort– titled Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, at EPCOT– which is set to open this October. In addition, the film saw such success at the box office that Disney and CEO Bob Iger announced several months ago that it would be making a live-action version of the movie, in which Johnson will reprise his role as Maui and be an Executive Producer on the project. Of course, that’s not all that’s happening with Dwayne Johnson currently.
While The Rock has made a few appearances recently, including a return to the WWE that featured him speaking with longtime rival John Cena, many fans are looking forward to what might be next for the beloved figure in his acting career. He made a cameo as Luke Hobbs in the latest Fast & Furious movie (Fast X), setting up yet another movie in which he’ll return, and there have been rumors that Johnson could play the role of the Scorpion King yet again in a new installment of The Mummy franchise.
However, one movie that has yet to be given any kind of an update is the sequel to Disney’s Jungle Cruise (2021).
In this adventure film inspired by the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort theme park attraction, Johnson effortlessly blended his action-hero persona with his signature humor, creating a character with charm and charisma. His portrayal of Frank Wolff, a riverboat skipper with a mysterious past, alongside Emily Blunt (Dr. Lily Houghton), offered audiences a delightful and thrilling cinematic experience.
Though the film saw significant losses at the box office– grossing just $221 million with the need for over $500 million to break even– there was enough there for Disney to announce that it would be making a sequel to the film just months after its release. Since that initial announcement, however, the company has grown silent.
Disney has been dealing with ongoing strikes in Hollywood— though the WGA has tentatively put together a deal– and this has led the company to have some time to do some introspecting. As a result, several projects that once were planned to be made are no longer on the docket.
Is Jungle Cruise 2 one of those?
Disney has not announced that Jungle Cruise 2 has been canceled, but multiple insiders have indicated that the company may choose to move away from the film, especially right out of the gate, as writers potentially return to the studios and other projects that were delayed begin production again.
Disney’s new live-action Moana movie was already set to begin filming in October, according to reports, and this obviously will be pushed back for now. That means that Disney is likely looking at beginning filming for that one in 2024. When you add in other projects that he is already reportedly committed to, Johnson will be tied up for quite some time. If a couple of years go by before Disney is able to begin production on the film, it would stand to reason that it may be canceled altogether.
Keep in mind these are just rumors and speculation, but there are no expectations– at least right now– that we’ll see Jungle Cruise 2 anytime in the near future.
What do you think Disney should do next with Dwayne Johnson? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!