Credit: Disney (left), ABC (right)Actor Dwayne Johnson is taking the world of Hollywood by storm, and he won’t be slowing down anytime in the near future.
He followed in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, both professional wrestlers, and quickly gained fame as a WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) superstar in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His charismatic personality, exceptional athleticism, and catchphrases like “Can you smell what The Rock is cooking?” endeared him to fans worldwide.
During his wrestling career, Johnson achieved unprecedented success, winning multiple WWE Championships and becoming one of the most iconic figures in the history of professional wrestling. His wrestling persona, “The Rock,” is still celebrated today, and he is often regarded as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. Johnson’s transition to acting was a natural progression, and he made his mark in Hollywood with roles that showcased his versatility. His breakthrough role came in The Mummy Returns (2001), where he portrayed the Scorpion King. This appearance paved the way for his acting career, and he reprised the role in a spinoff film, The Scorpion King (2002).
In Hollywood, Dwayne Johnson continued to rise to prominence, becoming known for his roles in action-packed and comedic films. Notable movies in his career include Fast Five (2011), where he joined the Fast and Furious franchise as the character Luke Hobbs, a Diplomatic Security Service agent. His involvement in the series elevated its popularity, and he went on to appear in several subsequent installments.
Additionally, Johnson has starred in family-friendly adventures like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (2012), showcased his comedic talents in films like Central Intelligence (2016) alongside Kevin Hart, and demonstrated his dramatic range in movies such as Pain & Gain (2013) and Hercules (2014). His box office appeal and ability to tackle various genres have solidified his status as one of Hollywood’s leading actors.
Disney fans best know Dwayne Johnson for his role as Maui in Moana (2016) and, most recently, Skipper Frank Wolff in Disney’s Jungle Cruise (2021). Though we are still waiting for word on a potential sequel for Jungle Cruise, Disney CEO Bob Iger confirmed earlier this year, alongside Dwayne Johnson, that the company would be making a live-action Moana film, which would feature Johnson reprising his role. Of course, the biggest discussions coming from Disney fans about the future of Dwayne Johnson involve rumors that he could be taking over Pirates of the Caribbean 6.
Multiple reports have come forward over the last few months indicating that Johnson and Disney had been in talks about him taking over the franchise amid the company’s ongoing disputes with Johnny Depp, who has played the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in the first five films. This has been met with much backlash and, at this point, there has been no further update to how much Johnson may actually be considering moving into the role.
One thing we do know, however, is that he’s set to make history in another franchise, which most definitely proves his star power and prowess to connect with an audience.
According to reports, Universal Studios is attempting to accelerate the process of a new script for Fast 11 after Johnson made the improbable return to the franchise in Fast X (2023) earlier this year. The idea is to get the script greenlighted in the next few months and for filming to begin almost seamlessly after the SAG-AFTRA strikes come to an end. Reports indicate that Universal wants to have the movie wrapped up and ready to be released in theaters by the spring of 2025.
Johnson hasn’t had the greatest run at the box office as of late. Black Adam (2022) was considered a box office bomb, and Jungle Cruise (2021) didn’t perform well either. Though Fast X brought in $714.6 million, it was not a significant profit due to the film’s large budget. Johnson was not advertised for the film, as he just made a cameo during a mid-credits scene.
Now, he’ll be looking to make history by bringing the Fast & Furious franchise back to prominence and proving that he is still the biggest box office attraction in Hollywood today. If he were to do that, it would likely give Disney confidence that they could rely on Johnson to bring in a big number for Pirates of the Caribbean 6 if they chose to go that route with him taking over.
However, a poor number at the box office could mean the exact opposite in Disney’s mind as the company looks to climb back from a couple of bad performances at the box office recently.
What would you like to see the future hold for Dwayne Johnson? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments!