The Rock isn’t brushing off Moana’s disappointing box office performance. After building much of his Hollywood reputation around delivering massive hits, Dwayne Johnson is said to be taking this one personally—and questioning what comes next.
According to RadarOnline, Johnson has been rethinking his upcoming projects and career decisions after the $250 million live-action Moana opened to just $95 million worldwide. One Hollywood insider claimed losing isn’t something The Rock handles particularly well.
“Dwayne has built his entire identity around winning. When a movie underperforms, he takes it incredibly personally.”
And apparently, this one has him doing considerably more than looking at the box office numbers and moving on. Another source claimed Johnson is now reassessing the choices he’s making in Hollywood.
“The Rock is questioning every decision, every project and every move.”
The concern comes after Moana arrived considerably below the $130 million worldwide opening that had been projected. The movie earned $43 million domestically and $52 million internationally for a $95 million global start despite carrying one of Disney’s biggest production budgets of the summer.
That wasn’t supposed to happen with this particular franchise. The animated Moana 2 crossed $1 billion worldwide less than two years earlier, while the first trailer for Johnson’s live-action remake pulled in 182 million views during its first 24 hours. Johnson was also returning as Maui after voicing the character in the animated movies.
Instead, Deadline previously estimated that the remake could lose between $100 million and $125 million during its first cycle, even if it eventually reaches $250 million worldwide.
Now the conversation has reached Johnson’s own standing in Hollywood. One studio executive told RadarOnline that what happens next could go a long way toward determining whether The Rock continues occupying the same position he’s enjoyed for years.
“The next few projects will determine whether he remains Hollywood’s biggest star for the next decade.”
The Rock has survived box-office misses before, but Moana was supposed to be considerably safer than most of them. It came with Disney behind it, a billion-dollar franchise and Johnson returning to one of his most recognizable roles.
Instead, its opening has him questioning everything from the projects he’s choosing to the moves he makes next. The next movie was always going to matter. After Moana, it may matter considerably more.
What do you think of The Rock reportedly taking Moana’s box office performance personally? Do you think his drawing power in Hollywood is actually slipping? Let us know in the comments below.
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