DC Is Not Happy With Dwayne Johnson?
This article is more than 2 years old
Dwayne Johnson holds a lot of sway in Hollywood and with all the power that he holds as one of the most highly sought-after actors, things may be going to the Jungle Cruise franchise star’s head. While his debut into the world of DC as the titular antihero in Black Adam may be turning out to be more of a box office flop than a hit, it’s not for this reason that DC isn’t thrilled with the actor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, which gathered information from several sources, the studio is rather upset that Dwayne Johnson keeps teasing the return of Henry Cavill’s Superman for future projects.
According to the sources, the top dogs at the superhero-based studio are beginning to get annoyed with Dwayne Johnson’s future-casting when it comes to Cavill’s Superman and what that means for not only the DC Universe moving forward, but what it could also mean for Johnson’s reprisal of Black Adam. While it may be flattering from Cavill’s perspective, with Johnson not only promoting the actor over the last several years but also gunning for his return to Man of Steel, execs are worried that Johnson’s comments may be giving audiences a bigger promise than they’re prepared to deliver. With James Gunn and Peter Safran recently appointed as co-CEOs for what’s now being called DC Studios, the duo is considering doing an overhaul and making some big changes to the next phase of the DC.
To be fair to Dwayne Johnson, the Red Notice star isn’t completely to blame for his recent teases for Cavill’s full-blown return. The character does make a cameo in Black Adam, which certainly got the rumor mill churning when it comes to the Enola Holmes actor’s future in the franchise. But even with the glimmer of hope of a Superman vs. Black Adam showdown, something that Johnson has thought would be a major plot point in upcoming projects, Gunn and Safran’s takeover may push things in a different direction.
For those who’ve been following updates surrounding the Ezra Miller-led The Flash, which has faced a mounting number of setbacks over the last year, news of a Superman cameo only continued to drum up hope of Cavill’s return to the hero’s cape and tights. But as one of the sources said, with the recent change in leadership, the studio is questioning their decision, and considering removing the very short bit as they’re worried that they’re giving fans “something that the studio would have no plans on delivering.” With this bit of information, Dwayne Johnson may want to pull back on the reins just a bit.
Even if there isn’t a bright future for Henry Cavill’s Superman or even Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, both actors certainly won’t be hurting for more work in Hollywood. In Johnson’s case, the absolutely ripped former wrestling pro, who was recently accused by Joe Rogan of taking steroids, is busy working alongside his buddy, Chris Evans, on Netflix’s holiday action feature, Red One. As far as the next step for DC Studios, fans can gather some hope from Gunn and Safran’s past track record with both DC and Marvel films.
