Fast X
Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson is one of the most popular renown in the world , but his boxful position charm seems to be wearing off - if he ever had it in the first seat . Johnson go up to fame in professional wrestling as " The Rock " before turning to Hollywood where he was cast in a phone number of box situation hits ; however , his more recent picture have raised eyebrows after a few gamey - profilebox office flops likeBlack AdamandJungle Cruise . Black Adam ’s boxwood authority was especially occupy , alongside DC League of Super - Pets because it was an failed attack by Johnson to become the aspect of a prominent brand .
After his public feud with Vin Diesel and departure from theFast and Furiousfranchise , Johnson starred in a telephone number of picture with vary degrees of box seat office success , but now thatThe Rock is returning toFast and FuriousforFast Xteasing a role in part 2(and presumptively part 3 , or however they ’re title since it ’s now a trilogy ending ) , it feels like he ’s include frustration since his solo movies did n’t do as well . Has Johnson lost his power as a box office attraction ? take a look Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson ’s full filmography shows the both the ascent and fall of his loge office status and where it came from .
Dwayne Johnson’s Acting Debut in The Mummy Was a Box Office Hit
After make a name for himself in wrestle with The Rock persona , Johnson ’s first moving picture role was the Scorpio the Scorpion King inThe Mummy Returnsin 2001.The Mummywas a big hit in 1999 featuring Brandon Fraser at the top of his calling in add-on to groundbreaking VFX , bringing in $ 415.9 million at the worldwide box office , so there were high expectations forThe Mummy Returns . While it was n’t as well reviewed , The Mummy Returnsupped the ante with an even bigger budget , bigger CGI battles , and the addition ofThe Rock as the Scorpio King , pushing the corner post to $ 435 million globally .
The Rock’s Kids & Family Movies Were His Biggest 2010s Hits After The Mummy Returns
Johnson had much more succeeder with Kid & home motion-picture show . In 2007,The Game Planearned $ 146.6 million , in 2009Race to Witch Mountainearned $ 105.1 million , and in 2010The Tooth Fairyearned $ 112.6 million . His large strike in that catamenia wasGet Smart , which earned $ 226.7 million in 2008 , although he was merely a supporting role to Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway . Despite his wrestling screen background and imposing physique , he had fuss finding new success in the action genre in the 2010s . Even after his stretch of kids ' flick , Johnson had another legal action dud withFasterin 2009 , earning just $ 35.8 million .
Fast Five Changed Everything For Both Dwayne Johnson And The Fast and The Furious Franchise
The Rock ’s 2010s movies were mostly hit - and - missy at the box office , his career see a major cost increase after hisdebut as Hobbs inFast Five . Prior toFast Five , Johnson ’s median box office through 17 movies was $ 112.6 million , but afterFast Five , his average skyrocket to $ 446 million for the next 25 movie . To be fair , he had several hits prior toFast Fiveas cite with his unveiling as the Scorpion King inThe Mummy Returns , but there was no residual impact fromThe Mummy Returns’box position on his next picture show , whileFast Fivegave a very readable and immediate upsurge in his boxwood role draw .
The clearest sign of Johnson ’s career encouragement followingFast Five ’s release in 2011 can be experience in another kids & family line movie , Journey 2 : The Mysterious Islandin 2012 . His previous kids ' movies averaged around $ 140 million , butJourney 2 : The Mysterious Island(ironically another subsequence to a box function success star Brandon Fraser ) , which earned $ 318.1 , more than double his tiddler & family movie box office mediocre pre - Fast Five . It was n’t just his kids & family movies that saw a box office boost , though . Fast Fivefinally proved his value to activity franchises , making him a valuable summation to ensemble casts .
The Rock’s Biggest Hits Have All Been Fast and Furious or Other Ensemble Movies
Despite the massive box function boost to his post - Fast Fivecareer , Johnson ’s highest - grossing pic are all either his appearances asHobbs in moreFast and Furioussequelsor ensemble movies with other bankable stars . His highest - grossing film are 2015’sFurious 7with $ 1.5 billion worldwide , 2017’sFate of the Furiouswith $ 1.2 billion , 2017’sJumanji : receive to the Junglewith $ 961.6 million , 2019’sJumanji : The Next Levelwith $ 798.2 million , 2013’sFast and Furious 6with $ 789.3 million , 2019’sFast & Furious Presents : Hobbs & Shawwith $ 760.7 million , 2016’sMoanawith $ 630.6 million , and 2011’sFast Fivewith $ 630 million .
There ’s nothing haywire with his biggest role coming from ensembles . It should actually be bear , as with franchises like the MCU , it ’s normal for squad - up movies to make more than solo movies ; however , this does n’t meet with the brand of Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson as a bankable film star in his own right wing , and may have had something to do with him distance himself from theFast and Furiousfranchise for a period of time . On the impudent side , his return to the franchise coming after a few box office bombs suggests he recognizes the boost he catch from big ensemble casts .
The Rock’s Biggest Solo Movies Haven’t Been Big Enough Box Office Hits
That ’s not to say Johnson is n’t a bankable star . San Andreas , a movie sold entirely on his name and face , bring in $ 456.3 million globally with modest hits from other starring part likeSkyscraper ’s $ 304.9 million orHercules ' $ 243.4 million . EvenBlack Adam’s$391.3 million would be a heavy striking if it were n’t for the movie ’s massive budgetand repeated boastful claim that"the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to transfer . “His big solo hits are corresponding in box seat berth to many MCU solo movies , but never quite on the degree of Robert Downey Jr. ’s solo succeeder withIron Man 3 ’s $ 1.2 billion .
The biggest trouble with his star purpose is that , despite their success , none of them were super hit or large enough to make demand for a franchise . Another problem is the gamy - profile box billet dud likeBaywatchandJungle Cruisethat prove his name alone is n’t enough to draw a crowd . Ironically , his swelled hit without an ensemble isHobbs & Shaw , but that ’s both aFast and Furiousspin - off and also see a box office drop-off liken to previousFast and Furiousmovies , which does n’t help sell the idea that Johnson can contain a franchise on his own aside from the rest of theFast and Furiouscast .
Dwayne Johnson’s Box Office Magic Didn’t Meet the Hype
Ironically , the crowing trouble with The Rock ’s corner function on his starring roles is n’t his power to sell tickets - it ’s his ability to sell tickets to match his own hoopla . Coming up in professional rassling , the public picture of a performer is innately tied to their type ’s persona . While Johnson has sidelined The Rock part in favour of " Dwayne Johnson , " the expectation are still there . His filmography and boxful situation are more than sufficient to make him one of the large stars in the world , but they do n’t quite support the unstoppable brand image of " Dwayne Johnson " make in interviews and on societal sensitive .
Ironically , The Rock ’s career would see a lot more like Vin Diesel ’s if he had n’t build a big motion-picture show star paradigm . Diesel is love for iconic roles in modest roles like Riddickand Xander Cage , and evenThe Fast and the Furiousstarted out the same room before the franchise exploded at the box office withFast Five . Like Johnson , Diesel ’s biggest collision are ensemble movies likeFast and FuriousandGuardians of the Galaxywhile his solo movies are all pocket-sized low - budget hits . The remainder is Diesel does n’t project the same motion picture wiz persona , so even smallerVin Diesel character like Riddick , Xander Cage , or Bloodshotdon’t count so humbling .
The bad difference , of grade , is Vin Diesel ’s Dominic Toretto is at the head of theFast and Furiousmovies , and Johnson could never usurp that role with Hobbs . Hobbs and Shawcould have given him similar terms to Diesel in the dealership if it had been a big smasher , but Johnson ’s participation in theFast and Furiousmovies requires Hobbs to play eternal second fiddle ( at best ) to Diesel ’s Dom . Black Adamwas the grown gamble for Johnson . If it had been a huge hit and truly changed"the hierarchy of tycoon in the DC Universe,“he would command far more star baron at the head of a enfranchisement , but instead he has to return toFast and fierce .
The Rock is Admitting Defeat By Returning to the Fast and Furious Franchise
Prior toFast Five , the highest - grossing movie in the franchise wasFast and Furiousat $ 360.4 million . truehearted Fivemade$626.1 million , pressurise the enfranchisement at the box office , so it ’s gentle to make an disceptation that Johnson ’s add-on was the reasonableness for the loge berth growth . While that may be partly true , Johnson owes just as much mention toFast Fivefor the growth in his own career . The vindicated demarcation in his boxful authority draw before and afterFast Fiveproves its role in defecate him the star he is now , but his solo box office apart fromFast and Furiousalso proves his dependence on the franchise .
Related : The Rock ’s Fast & Furious Return : 10 Biggest Implications & Changes
The fact that the monumental boost correlate with the first appearance of Hobbs should n’t be drop as Johnson is one of the strongest additions to the dealership , andFast 9was miss without him . Just like with Vin Diesel , who ’s a vast boxwood post draw in theFast and Furiousfranchise , but ca n’t match that box position on his own , Johnson struggles to incur the same box seat office success part fromFast and Furiousmovies , and his reappearance to the enfranchisement for theFast Xsequel(s ) after hispublic feud with Vin Dieselis a tacit acknowledgment that he ca n’t see the same boxwood office success in his solo project .
While the circumstance of Johnson and Diesel ’s feud andBlack Adamflopping prior to hisFast and Furiousreturn may make it count like a loss for Johnson , the franchise is at its best critically and financially when he ’s a part of it , proving his note value to theFast and Furiousmovies , to Diesel , and to the audience . While the reality of Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson ’s boxwood office encroachment may not always match his hype , that does n’t change the fact that he ’s still one of the world ’s biggest celebrities and will continue sell tickets as a part of theFast and Furiousfranchise and on his own projects for geezerhood to come .
