One of Hollywood’s best scene-stealers was not an overnight sensation, but he got there as soon as he could. On garnering the success he has enjoyed over the past few years, Johnson has stated “I’ve never gone wrong trusting my gut. It was really the only thing that I had going into acting. I didn’t have the background-Juilliard or performing-arts school or anything like that. You can get great people around you, smart minds and great resources, but it’s still from the heart.” It’s that heart that will be on display in next month’s Red One, the story that showcases Johnson as North Pole’s Head of Security teaming up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter portrayed by Chris Evans in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to find a kidnapped Santa Claus (code name: Red One) and save Christmas.
Rising to stardom under the alias, The Rock, as a part of the growth of the WWE in the late ‘90s, Johnson made his film debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns as The Scorpion King. Johnson has since made an exceptional career for himself seamlessly blending comedy and action in such films as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, The Rundown, and Pain & Gain.
His appearance in a few prominent franchises have done a lot to shape his upcoming slate of films; with Jumanji: The Last Story in development and set for release in 2025, and Moana 2 coming to theaters next month. Johnson is also set to portray former MMA/UFC champion Mark Kerr aka “The Smashing Machine” in a story based on the true events surrounding Kerr’s life and rise through the MMA world in 2025’s The Smashing Machine.
Other projects in the pipeline include a live-action adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film Moana expected in July 2026, Fast X: Part 2, and a follow-up to the 1986 movie Big Trouble in Little China. With a busy slate like that, fans are going to have plenty of opportunity to watch their favorite lead of action-comedy over the next several years.
Already one of my favorites here at A Cute Film Addict, I want to take this opportunity to look back at my five favorite Dwayne Johnson movies.
1. Moana (2016)
DJ plays a pretty good scoundrel, and in the role of Maui he is the most delightful scoundrel of all, an egotistical demigod with a heroic streak buried deep beneath the pain of rejection. A pain he’s carried all of his life, covering it up with great acts of bravery performed mostly in service to placing a bandage over his deep emotional wounds. And somewhere along the way, he developed an impressive set of pipes, belting out tunes with the casual ease of the true showman he has become.
2. DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
In DC League of Super-Pets, Johnson finds success as Krypto in the unexpected hit of 2022. He stars alongside consistent co-star Kevin Hart and delivers a charming, animated film that was hailed by audiences and critics alike, and displayed the fact that live-action or in a voice-acting booth, The Rock delivers.
3. Fighting with My Family (2019)
Playing himself here, though a fairly outrageous version of himself, Fighting with My Family is a fun film about wrestling and family. Main character Paige (Florence Pugh) is preparing for her WWE debut, meanwhile, The Rock smiles, yells, and struts around with his muscles as her famous mentor. The movie is the perfect blend of comedy and drama that is centered around familial expectations and larger than life personalities. Johnson’s cameo has him in common territory, wrestling and playing it up for the camera. Overall the movie co-stars Lena Heady and Vince Vaughn, and is a successful heartwarming film.
4. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)
At the time of the release of Jumanji:Welcome to the Jungle, Johnson was already one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and this sequel of sorts to the 1995 Robin Williams film just elevated his star to new heights. Taking a break from car chase heist films to do this family-friendly movie worked out for him and the Jumanji franchise. Spurring a sequel, Jumanji: The Next Level, that delivers the same energy as the first movie, albeit with a slightly more complicated plot and just as much laughable moments, Johnson continued to show he is a veteran at bringing heart to the family-friendly film as well as bringing the muscle to the serious action genre.
5. The Rundown (2003)
Still doing life under the moniker of The Rock at this time, The Rundown provided him the first real opportunity to show what he was capable of as a bonafide Hollywood leading man. The movie performed poorly at the domestic box office and didn’t even make back its budget when taking the global box office into account. But the film highlights Johnson’s work ethic, his ability to vibe with his co-stars, and nail punchlines as well as he nails punches. The result is an excellent action-comedy adventure that should have seen bigger success, but nonetheless, it is an important entry in Johnson’s filmography.
And those are my five favorite Dwayne Johnson movies. I’m sure yours might be different. If so, feel free to drop a line.
Red One is in theaters November 15, Followed by Moana 2 on November 27. Jumanji: The Last Story and The Smashing Machine are both expected in 2025. Disney’s Live Adaptation Moana and Fast X: Part 2 has expected release dates of June & July 2026 and Big Trouble in Little China is TBD.
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