Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the busiest man in Hollywood. Between updating his millions of fans on social media, appearing as a regular in the world of WWE, and generally being the nicest celebrity on the planet, it’s a wonder how he stars in any movies at all.
Yet, Johnson’s name is seemingly attached to every major Hollywood production going.
As one of the most bankable actor’s working today, having The Rock star in your movie all but guarantees that audiences will show up in droves. This is something that can no longer be said about the Hanks, Cruises, and Schwarzeneggers of this world.
Having first made his movie debut in The Mummy Returns, the former wrestler is now better known for his work on-screen than in the ring. Charisma, presence, and a knack of knowing what his audience wants has kept him on top.
Sure, there were some missteps along the way (Tooth Fairy), a rare box office disappointment (Baywatch), and some interesting choices (Southland Tales), but since breaking out as Luke Hobbs in Fast 5, it’s been nothing but box office gold.
It’s no wonder why he’s set to earn a career-best pay check of $22 million for upcoming action-comedy Red Notice.
Being so prolific means that it’s hard for fans to know what The Rock is up to next. So to help, we’ve broken down the rumors we’re excited about and the ones that should definitely stay as rumors.
Here are the 8 Dwayne Johnson Rumors We Hope Aren’t True (And 9 We Hope Are).
Hope Isn’t: Will Never Wrestle Again
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s wrestling career was surprisingly short. Between 1996 and 2004, he dropped the People’s Elbow on all who came before his path.
Speculation mounted that he would appear at WrestleMania 34 back in April. The match would have partnered him and Rhonda Rousey against Stephanie McMahon and HHH. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
However, will the Rock ever return to the matt? Dave Meltzer, a journalist covering the wrestling beat, has suggested that The Rock is now too old to enter the ring again for a serious match.
Sure, there might be an appearance at an event, but will there be an actual match? It seems unlikely.
However, with The Rock’s ongoing support of WWE, we hope we haven’t seen him unleash his last Rock Bottom just yet.
Hope Is: Hobbs And Shaw Has A Spy Vibe
Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson’s banter and easy chemistry in The Fate of the Furious has fuelled the pair into their own spin-off, Hobbs and Shaw.
According to rumors, The Rock and Statham will be cooking up something entirely different from the main car-obsessed franchise.
The movie’s director, David Leitch, hinted to Digital Spy that the characters’ agency and spy backgrounds would be a big influence on both their relationship and the world that the movie takes place in.
Is The Rock going to start donning a tux, playing baccarat, and sipping vodka martinis? Don’t count on it. However, a move away from the petrol head action of Fast & Furious’s movies is a shrewd move after nine entries in the series.
Hope Isn’t: Not In Fast & Furious 9
“I’m not quite sure.” With those four words, Dwayne Johnson broke the hearts of cinema-going petrol-heads everywhere, by casting doubt on whether he would return for Fast & Furious 9 in an interview with Rolling Stone.
The reason? His testy relationship with co-star Vin Diesel.
According to The Rock, the two actors have fundamental differences when it comes to making movies and collaborating. This came to a head when The Rock called Diesel out on social media.
Johnson’s first appearance as Hobbs in Fast 5 was a much-needed shot of adrenaline for the franchise. Sure, it had been rebooted with Fast and Furious, but Johnson’s Agent Hobbs delivered one-liners and magnetic charisma.
Without him in the family, the series loses some of its throttle.
Hope Is: Imagines What Cologne His Character Would Wear
One rumor we hope is true is that The Rock gets into a part by imaging what cologne his character would wear. San Andrea’s Raymond Gaines piloted his rescue helicopter while smelling of Creed.
After two weeks of testing, The Rock settled on Kenzo for Central Intelligence’s slick CIA operative Bob Stone.
How about the toughest hombre Johnson has ever played? Well, Fast & Furious’s Luke Hobbs likes to wear– wait for it– baby oil.
Whatever his reason, it’s obviously doing the trick. The man is never less than totally committed. Besides, it’s comforting to know that while Johnson is saving the world from natural disasters or terrorists, he’s always smelling great.
Hope Isn’t: Black Adam Won’t Appear In Suicide Squad 2
Comic book and movie fans thought they’d be getting a sneak preview of The Rock’s as Black Adam in Suicide Squad 2. However, reports have emerged that the character won’t be making the long-rumored cameo appearance.
This comes after DC and Warner Bros. executives ditched the plan to have Black Adam feature as the main villain in Shazam!
This is a pity, as Black Adam is a major character in the DC universe and the main antagonist of Shazam.
Johnson has been attached to play the role for over five years now. However, with his ever-growing schedule and Warners bumping Suicide Squad in favour of fast-tracking Harley Quinn’s solo outing, Birds of Prey, it could be sometime before anti-hero Black Adam makes his debut.
Hope Is: The Rock Can Fly
Posters for upcoming action epic Skyscraper show the hardest working man in show business leaping from a crane towards a towering inferno.
It’s a big leap and the crane isn’t exactly close to the burning skyscraper, but if anyone’s going to put gravity in its place, it’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The only likely explanation is that Johnson can, undisputedly, fly like an eagle.
In Skyscraper, Johnson plays security specialist and ex-military man Will Ford. When Ford picks up an assignment to test security on the “tallest and safest,” building in the world, you can bet that there’s going to be some safety issues.
Hopefully the movie is as over-the-top as the poster suggests. Early previews suggest a glorious mash-up of 70s disaster movies and the original Die Hard. That can only be a good thing.
Hope Isn’t: Doc Savage Might Not Be Happening
Doc Savage would have brought to life the square-jawed hero, who is often considered something of a proto-superhero.
Johnson was set to play the eponymous Doc in the Shane Black directed movie, which is truly a match-up made in pulp heaven.
However, with both the director and actor’s schedules filling up, there’s the distinct possibility that the project may not happen.
Johnson himself has begun to be non-committal on the subject. Here’s what the People’s Champion told Collider: “At the end of the day, Shane’s such a spectacular writer or director, but whether it’s that project or something else, we’ve made a pact that we’re going to work together at some point in our careers.”
Sorry, Doc Savage fans– it looks like this one could be pulped.
Hope Is: The Rock And John Cena Together Onscreen
They once wrestled for 45 minutes straight during WrestleMania 29. By the end, The Rock had torn his quadriceps and was in excruciating pain.
Now, Dwayne Johnson and John Cena might appear together onscreen in The Janson Directive.
In the movie, Cena has been tapped to play Paul Janson, an ex-Navy Seal who stumbles into an international conspiracy. Coming from the pen of The Bourne Identity creator Robert Ludlum, this one has pedigree.
However, this is a long-shot. Right now, The Rock is only acting as producer of the movie, but the thought of the two of them reuniting on the silver screen is enough to make any wrestling fan drool.
We just hope they aren’t able to resist taking their rivalry into multiplexes.
Hope Isn’t: Considered Playing Jonny Bravo
Blonde, impossibly bequiffed, and always in shades, Jonny Bravo ruled the Cartoon Network in the early ’00s. The self-worshipping cartoon character was one of the network’s biggest stars alongside Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory and the Power Puff Girls.
This period coincided with the first tentative steps that Dwayne Johnson was making into the world of movies. Speculation at the time was that he would appear in the live-action version of the cartoon.
While The Rock shares Bravo’s buff bod, there aren’t too many other similarities between the pair– although we are sure that Johnson loves his mom just like Bravo loves his.
We can only imagine what The Rock’s take on Bravo’s Elvis-like accent would sound like.
Hope Is: Will Join Expendables 4
The Expendables franchise has enlisted what seems like every action hero from the past 30 years of cinema– from ’80s stalwarts like Jean Claude Van Damme to up and comers such as Jason Statham right through to genuine A-lister Harrison Ford.
Even Mel Gibson popped up playing the big bad in the third installment. Then there’s the holy action trio of Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Willis.
What it’s missing is the last action hero guaranteed to get cinema goers into theaters today: Dwayne Johnson.
While it’s never been confirmed, rumors have been persistent that Johnson would join the franchise for a cameo appearance if Stallone ever wanted to have one last throw of the dice in a fourth installment.
Hope Isn’t: Won’t Return As Roadblock
The next installment in the G.I. Joe franchise is set to hit theaters in 2020. However, right now, it is looking like one important ingredient will be missing– Dwayne Johnson’s Roadblock.
Johnson gave franchise sequel G.I. Joe: Retaliation some much needed sprinkling of star power after the underwhelming first installment.
This kick-started Johnson’s current rep as someone who could revive any franchise. (For example, see what he did in Fast 5.)
Rumors were circulating that production was being held up due to Johnson’s busy schedule.
However, it appears that Paramount are looking to reboot the franchise, which makes sense.
Retaliation came out in 2013 and it’s doubtful that there’s much demand for a direct sequel. However, Johnson would be sorely missed from any C.O.B.R.A smack down.
Hope Is: Tim Burton’s Second Choice To Play Willy Wonka
It doesn’t get stranger than this. Dwayne Johnson was reportedly director Tim Burton’s second choice to play Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
The wrestler-turned-actor has the comedic chops, no doubt. However, to inhabit a role made famous by Gene Wilder and beloved to children around the world requires the vision of Tim Burton.
One can only imagine what The Rock would look like in the role. Surely it would be millions of gummy bears away from Johnny Depps’ pale faced, vaguely ghoulish take.
On the other hand, The Rock’s endlessly sunny demeanour and natural showmanship might have been a great fit for Wonka.
Perhaps Wonka might have had a line of protein bars alongside all the chocolate to explain away his new buff body.
Hope Isn’t: Big Trouble In Little Chinatown Remake
Could The Rock be in for big trouble in the rumored remake of Big Trouble in Little Chinatown? The Rock is down to play Jack Burton in the reboot of the much-loved ’80s classic.
The original Burton was played by Kurt Russell. As a mixture of tough ’80s hero who is also surprisingly goofy, the insanely quotable character is considered one of Russell’s defining roles.
However, unless you’re playing James Bond, inheriting a role cherished by fans is a risky move. Look at the flack that Alden Ehrenreich caught when he signed on to play Han Solo.
With so many great characters and franchises already under his belt, The Rock doesn’t need to risk alienating fans by potentially delivering an underwhelming remake.
Hope is: The feud with Tyrese Gibson is actually over
One person who was not happy with production on Fast & Furious 9 being pushed back a year to accommodate spin-off Hobbs and Shaw was Tyrese Gibson.
In a series of Instagram posts, franchise regular Gibson laid into Johnson and suggested that he wouldn’t appear in Fast & Furious 9 if Johnson did.
Perhaps seeing sense, Gibson climbed down in his last post on the issue.
Apparently, there had been a heart-to-heart between the actor and one of Johnson’s associates.
Hopefully, this spat with Gibson is over. With Vin Diesel and Johnson not exactly seeing eye-to-eye, anything else that prevents The Rock from getting behind the wheel of his ram truck in the ninth installment of the franchise is seriously unwelcome.
Hope Isn’t: No San Andreas 2
Earthquake disaster movie San Andreas shook over $155 million out of cinema-goers wallets at the US box office in 2015.
With the size of that box office quake, it’s no wonder producers were keen to fast-track a sequel. Reportedly, the follow-up would have involved the Pacific’s Ring of Fire fault lines.
However, we don’t seem any closer to The Rock’s Raymond Gaines taking on Mother Nature again.
Recently, San Andreas director Brad Peyton sounded less than certain that the sequel was going to happen.
Peyton’s last collocation with Johnson was Rampage. Rampage’s failure to crack $100 million at the domestic box office and Johnson’s busy schedule could be some big fault lines to overcome.
Hope Is: Will Go Full Indiana Jones In Jungle Cruise
Plot details are thin on the ground for Disney’s upcoming Jungle Cruise. What we do know is that it will star Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.
However, one rumor going around is that The Rock’s character will be in the same whip-cracking mould as Indiana Jones. Jungle Cruise’s visual effects supervisor Jake Morrison has hinted as much.
Morrison told ComicBook: “I mean I’ve got to say, I’m incredibly excited about the whole thing, it’s really like Dwayne is in a new Indiana Jones film.”
Based on the Disney theme park ride, Jungle Cruise is an old fashioned adventure. The all-star cast will battle dangerous predators and the supernatural, which is very Indy.
Whether this means that The Rock will don a fedora remains to be seen.
Hope Is: Presidential run
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson for President? It might be a rumor, but it’s not that far out there.
The Washington Post actually published an article on the former wrestler and action star’s chances of taking the Oval Office. When asked by GQ if he’d ever consider a run, Johnson solemnly replied, “I think that it’s a real possibility.”
Could the People’s Champion actually run for President in 2024? It would definitely help Canadian-US relationships, since Johnson has dual US-Canadian citizenship.
Plus, invading aliens would think twice if The Rock was in charge.
Is it too farfetched? Well, Schwarzenegger made it to the California governor’s office, Reagan was a Hollywood actor, and the current President moonlighted as a reality TV star, so who knows.
Are there any other rumors about The Rock that we missed? Tell us in the comments!
