The recent trends in Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s acting career suggest he might need the live-action Moana more than Disney does. Long before Dwayne Johnson voiced Maui in the original animated Moana movie, he was a Hollywood newcomer, dipping his feet into a whole new world after his tenure at the WWE. Although it took him a while to find his feet as an actor by first starring in several family films like The Game Plan and sports-centric dramas like The Gridiron Gang, the actor gradually gained more momentum after he started landing roles in big franchises.
Like every other actor, his track record with box office numbers is not perfect, given how he saw a fair share of flops before he made it big in Hollywood. However, once the actor built some steam by taking up safe archetypical roles, his consistency snowballed, making him a Hollywood powerhouse who guaranteed hit after hit. However, lately, there has been a surprising change in The Rock’s ability to deliver the box office numbers he previously promised, suggesting that he needs the Moana live-action adaptation more than ever.
The Rock’s Movies Have Struggled Of Late
Following his debut in The Mummy Returns as Scorpion King, Dwayne Johnson rose in the ranks as an actor and became one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. At one point, he was the face of so many popular movie franchises like the G.I. Joe, Fast and Furious, Jumanji, and Journey that he was often touted as the “box office Viagra.” As his ensemble movies and franchises grew from strength to strength, Johnson’s prowess as a box office draw also became more fortified. However, despite his stronghold at the box office, his recent movies have not performed too well.
A downward trend in the box office numbers of Dwayne Johnson’s movies seemingly began in 2021 with Jungle Cruise. Despite featuring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt as its lead, the movie’s worldwide box office earnings could not even recover its hefty production and promotion budget, let alone breakeven. Following Jungle Cruise‘s box office failure, Dwayne Johnson set his eyes on the DCEU, believing that his foray into the superhero genre would change “the hierarchy of power.” Unfortunately, despite being one of the most anticipated films of 2022, Black Adam only grossed $393.3 million worldwide, against a massive reported budget of $195 million.
DC League of Super Pets, in which Dwayne Johnson voiced Krypto, received generally positive reviews after its release but could not bring an end to the star’s growing list of commercial failures. The fact that Dwayne Johnson is returning to the Fast & Furious franchise proves that he is likely well aware of the struggling box office numbers of his recent films. While returning to the Fast and Furious series will give his commercial value a much-needed boost, a Moana live-action movie has the potential to completely change the trajectory of his acting career.
Moana’s Live-Action Remake Could Easily Be The Rock’s Biggest Hit In Years (If He’s In It)
The original Moana‘s earnings at the box office may not have been as impressive as Frozen’s. However, it still achieved some impressive milestones and proved immensely profitable Disney by raking in $690.8 million internationally. Given its commercial and critical success, it is not surprising its live-action adaptation is in development. While most casting details surrounding the movie are still under the covers, it seems likely that Dwayne Johnson will reprise his role as Maui after voicing the demigod in the original animated film. If he does return as the character in Moana‘s live-action remake, the movie could be his biggest hit in years.
While Disney’s live-action adaptations like The Little Mermaid and The Jungle Book have proven the potential of the movie sub-genre, others like Mulan have established that not all animated films should be traversed to the live-action medium. Similar to most other live-action adaptations, Moana, too, could be a hit or miss. However, given how the movie already has a brilliant storyline that seems to have the potential to become a compelling live-action movie, Moana could throttle Dwayne Johnson’s acting career to new heights if he plays the live-action version of Maui.
Playing Maui Again Could Also Be The Rock’s Best Role In Years
Although many factors have seemingly contributed to the diminishing commercial value of The Rock’s recent movies, the primary reason behind this downfall is his characters. His role as Frank Wolff in Jungle Cruise was arguably decent, which probably explains why Jungle Cruise 2 is now on the horizon. However, Black Adam and Red Notice were subpar films, and their Rotten Tomatoes scores reflect that. The former WWE star also overly hyped Black Adam and gave audiences false hopes about the franchise’s future, which set lofty expectations for viewers and eventually left them disappointed.
Maui, on the other hand, is a highly captivating character in Moana, and Dwayne Johnson also does a commendable job at voicing him in the animated movie. While traversing the same skill level to the live-action medium may prove challenging, the animated film has given him a solid foundation and form to portray the character in the new medium. Since Moana depicts Maui as a larger-than-life character who carries himself with a lot of poise and confidence, Dwayne Johnson appears to be the perfect fit for filling the character’s live-action boots. If he does it well, it could be his best role in years, potentially taking his career in a new direction.
Could Moana Fix Disney’s Bad Live-Action Remake Trend?
When it comes spectacle, nostalgia, and casting, most Disney live action movies have delivered almost everything audiences can expect. However, the biggest issue with most of these adaptations is that despite having the opportunity to expand the existing universes of their animated counterparts, the films play it safe and try to reinstate the themes and ideas portrayed in the original films. The original animated Moana movie is an incredible movie in its own right, and its live-action should only exist if it has a strong reason to.
If the live-action Moana establishes this reason, it could win over critics and ultimately lure a bigger audience through word of mouth. However, if it keeps treading the same path as many other recent Disney live-action adaptations and only tries cashing in the popularity of the original animated movie, it may further taint Dwayne Johnson’s brand value as a lead actor in Hollywood. Hopefully, Moana‘s live-action will be able to recreate the original movie’s magic and positively impact The Rock’s acting career.
