Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Should Stay Far Away from the MCU, According to Some Fans
Dwayne Johnson has an impressive resume in the world of entertainment. From pro wrestling championships to action films to comedies to voice-over work (complete with a song), there doesn’t seem to be much that he can’t do.
Some people wonder if his next goal should be playing a character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). But there are others who think he should just leave that world alone.
Dwayne Johnson’s eclectic career
When Johnson was born in 1972, his future as a professional wrestler seemed inevitable. Both his father and grandfathers were wrestlers, and yet Johnson wasn’t interested in following in their footsteps. Instead, he pursued football, playing for the University of Miami. But when injuries impacted his football dreams, he decided to give pro wrestling a try, and a star was born.
From 1996 to 2004, Johnson was a top figure in the world of wrestling. He gained the nickname “The Rock,” and he went on to win 17 championship titles. But wrestling wasn’t enough for him, and he started to try his hand at acting. He appeared as the villain The Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns in 2001, and again he found success.
Once Johnson started acting, he didn’t look back. He played parts in comedies, such as The Game Plan, as well as action films, such as the Fast and Furious franchise. He even played the role of the Greek god Hercules in 2014.
Dwayne Johnson has worked in many genres
In recent years he’s continued working in wildly different roles. He voiced the demigod Maui for the Disney animated film Moana in 2016. He’s appeared in The Fate of the Furious, the most recent film in the Fast and Furious franchise, and appeared in two Jumanji movies.
He will soon appear in a DC Extended Universe movie, starring as the anti-hero Black Adam. On top of that, he’s the producer and host of the new NBC athletic competition show The Titan Games.
With all this range of experiences, people are starting to wonder why he hasn’t starred in an MCU movie yet. In many ways, it seems like a natural fit for the athletic, funny, action hero. But would it work?
Not everyone likes the idea
The idea has been thrown around in the media a bit. While Johnson has responded to interest in him by assuring the public, “I could be the leader of the Marvel Universe,” not everyone agrees. In a recent discussion on Reddit, people turned to the topic of A-list actors they would love to see in the MCU. Johnson’s name came up right away, but some people weren’t having it.
“Please no, I don’t want Dwayne Johnson in the MCU,” one viewer begged. “Nothing against the guy but he plays the same goddamn character in every b-tier summer popcorn movie he stars in.”
One person felt that the crossover from DC to Marvel was problematic, saying “…I’d prefer he just stay over at DC. The MCU doesn’t need everyone famous.”
Others’ objections ran deeper, with one commenter bluntly suggesting he’s just not good enough. “[H]is acting skills are not the slightest near his fame-level. and i have nothing against him but it’s just true.”
Industry insiders have suggested there are plenty of reasons that a Johnson MCU hero wouldn’t work. There is the whole DC/Marvel rivalry, plus he probably wouldn’t get as much creative control as he likes if he were a member of the MCU machine.
Besides, his career is already busy and his life is very full. Those are all good reasons to expect that it won’t happen. But for at least some Marvel fans, the biggest reason is that they just don’t want him.
