Actor Dwayne Johnson and Amazon have accomplished something that’s never been done in the history of Hollywood.
In recent months, former wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been in the headlines for a variety of reasons–some of those reasons good, some not so good, and some completely unbelievable.
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Johnson’s story is truly one of success. As a pro-wrestler, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has proven to the world that he has a bit of the Midas touch. He began his wrestling career in 1996 and rose to WWE super-stardom almost immediately. Over the course of his wrestling career, Johnson, who was better known by his ring name, “The Rock,” came to be hailed as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, amassing dozens of awards and championship wins, including being a ten-time world champion, two-time Intercontinental Champion, a 2000 Royal Rumble winner and WWE’s sixth Triple Crown Champion.
After battling opponents in the ring like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and ultimately becoming a World Wrestling Entertainment champion, he left the world of professional wrestling in 2004, though he made WWE appearances outside the ring. But shortly after playing the Scorpion King opposite Brendan Fraser in his first hit movie, The Mummy Returns (2001), Johnson decided to officially step out of the ring to pursue a career in acting–and he’s never looked back.
“The Rock” is Among the Most In-Demand Actors in the Business
Johnson has had roles in some of Hollywood’s most lucrative films and franchises, including the role of Luke Hobbs in The Fast and the Furious franchise and the role of Black Adam in the film by the same name. His career also includes roles in many movies for Disney, like Race to Witch Mountain (2007), The Game Plan (2009), Moana (2016), and The Jungle Cruise (2021). He is now one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors and just recently announced a new film project for Disney–the live-action take-two of Moana.
The “Midas Touch”
So far, Dwayne Johnson has proven he’s got the Midas touch when it comes to his career pursuits. Not only is he an award-winning champion wrestler, but he has also become a world-famous actor–and it didn’t take him long. In the late-2000s, Johnson’s acting career exploded, and since that time, he has starred in multiple films that together have amassed more than $12 billion, despite the challenges he’s faced along the way.
In October 2022, Warner Bros. released Black Adam at the box office. Johnson played the title role of the violent anti-hero. But nearly six months after the release of the film, the lack of success of the film was blamed on Johnson, his ego, and trying “to insert himself in the middle of Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe, derailing both his own film and Shazam: Fury of the Gods.”
Then in early May 2023, news of Johnson being named in an alleged kidnapping lawsuit made the headlines, and the actor’s personal and professional life seemed to be in a downward spiral–that is, if readers believed all that was being said about The Rock. Rumors spread quickly about Johnson’s career having come to an end, and even Disney was rumored to have cut ties with Johnson shortly after the entertainment giant announced that a live-action version of Moana is in the works–and that Johnson would star in the film and work as co-producer.
Like a Phoenix, Johnson Rises from the Alleged Ashes Again
Several weeks after Johnson was named in a strange lawsuit that alleged he and dozens more were involved in a kidnapping conspiracy, the complaint was dismissed, and it became clear that the allegations were nothing more than that–allegations. And while some believed Johnson’s career in Hollywood would be forever damaged by the so-called Black Adam scandal, news of the kidnapping suit against Johnson and others, and rumors about Disney’s refusal to work with the actor.
Instead, The Rock has risen above all the recent noise in Hollywood and partnered with Amazon to accomplish something that’s never been done by any other actor in the history of entertainment.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is Santa Claus This Christmas Season
Later this year, Dwayne Johnson will star in a brand-new Christmas-themed film from Amazon titled Red One. At the time of this publication, plot details for the new holiday flick have not been made public, but the amount of Johnson’s upfront paycheck for starring in the film is public, and it has set a record in Hollywood.
According to The Direct, the former wrestler-turned-actor garnered a hefty $50 million in advance for signing on to play the lead role in the film that looks to have a Santa Claus theme. The staggering amount is the highest upfront payment ever earned by an actor in the history of entertainment. Previously, that record was held by Robert Downey Jr. and Will Smith, who were tied for the top spot as they earned a cool $40 million for their roles in Captain America: Civil War and King Richard, respectively.
The incredible amount of Johnson’s upfront payday lands the 6-foot-four, 275-pound actor securely in the #1 spot for the actor with the highest-ever upfront payment amount for starring in a film.