Here’s a problem for The Rock; more people are interested in his cheat meals than his movies.
Despite his massive following on social media and good guy persona, Dwayne Johnson does not make good movies, and his latest flop could leave a nine-figure mark on the bottom line for Warner Brothers.
Seven weeks into the theatrical run, his superhero film called Black Adam looks like it needs a miracle for the movie to break even.
Yes, it has taken in $387 million worldwide, and the budget was $195 million, so you might think it’s a big success. Not really. The marketing budget was at least $80 million, and theaters took their share of the box office, roughly 50%, so the movie could finish in the red, another less-than-stellar mark on Johnson’s career.
So what’s the problem? Johnson is overexposed. He’s everywhere. His movies. He thrusts himself into Vin Diesel movies. TV shows. Cardboard cutouts in grocery stores pushing his Tequila. At NFL games getting the crowd fired up, doing safe (lame?) promotional stunts on social media and buying the XFL, and popping into rando WWE events.
I also think he’s getting bad advice. His choice of roles is not stellar, and his 24/7 nice guy persona seems forced and is undoubtedly uninteresting. He’s no longer The Rock. That guy was one of the greatest characters and alter egos anyone has ever crafted. Brash, cocky, and hilarious are three words you would never use to define his personality now.
His other problem is that he’s competing with a better movie right now. Black Panther; Wakanda Forever just wrapped up its fourth week in theaters, and the box office take worldwide is pushing $800 million.
Those are movie star numbers.
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