Movies
Dwayne Johnson’s next film role will end his box office dry spell
Following four years of box office failure, one new film will provide a lifeline for Dwayne Johnson. The Rock’s most recent commercial triumph was Jumanji: The Next Level, which grossed nearly $800 million worldwide in 2019. Every Rock film since has suffered at the box office. Although Black Adam and DC League of Super-Pets were lacklustre, Jungle Cruise was a colossal flop, grossing just $220 million on a $200 million production budget.
While the performer had success with 2021’s Red Notice, which broke the record for the most-watched Netflix film of all time, this streaming popularity did not convert to box office statistics. For Hollywood’s highest-paid actor, four years without a box office triumph is a long time. Furthermore, the failures all come from films designed to serve as launchpads for new series; with the Fast and Furious franchise winding down, The Rock needs a new box office product if he wants to stay relevant. Johnson’s greatest hope is a forthcoming film.
Disney’s Live-Action Movies Dwayne Johnson’s Moana Is Sure To Be A Hit
The Rock is poised to get his big break in the forthcoming Moana live-action version. While no picture can guarantee economic success, especially given Hollywood’s current tendency of inflated budgets, Moana has proven to be a moneymaker. Not only did the 2016 picture make $629 million in theatres, but it also grossed an additional $117 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales in 2017, making it the best-selling home release of that year (according to The Numbers).
Furthermore, cultural interest in Moana has remained extraordinarily strong in the years after its publication. Moana was the fourth most-watched movie across all streaming services in 2022, according to Nielsen (via Variety), and the only picture in the top 5 that had not been released within the previous year. Disney’s live-action remakes aren’t always a financial success; the studio had two recent flops with Dumbo and The Little Mermaid. Bankable stars and the correct IP, on the other hand, have consistently yielded billion-dollar returns for the remake project. Moana’s tremendous staying power, along with the star power of a live-action Dwayne Johnson, bodes well for the remake’s box office future.
Why Dwayne Johnson’s Live-Action Moana Is Still a Huge Risk
Dwayne Johnson is gearing up for another big office smash with a live-action Moana. However, the film’s financial success may not be enough to preserve his career; in fact, his participation in the remake may add to his demise. Johnson has done exceptionally well at the movie office, but every star’s blockbuster bankability ultimately wears off. With Johnson’s Fast and Furious films losing their box office appeal and no promise of a sequel to Moana, the actor is already facing a future devoid of franchises.
When this day arrives, the actor may still be able to prolong his profession if he has established enough goodwill via his filmography. The Rock, on the other hand, has constantly prioritized financial viability over quality, appearing in formulaic and creatively bankrupt blockbusters that garner negative reviews. Disney live-action remakes have a bad track record in the critics’ eyes; if the Moana remake doesn’t learn from Disney’s live-action missteps, the picture will become yet another blot on the star’s career. Dwayne Johnson may have another box office smash on his hands, but the picture he chose jeopardizes his long-term career in the business.
