Photo: ABC (left), Disney (right)
After all, actor Dwayne Johnson may not be reprising his iconic role for The Walt Disney Company.
Everyone knows that Dwayne The Rock Johnson, the former WWE Champion, burst onto the Hollywood scene with his performance in The Mummy Returns (2001), followed by The Scorpion King (2002), cementing his status as an action star. However, it is his versatility that has kept him going and allowed him to become one of the most recognizable names in the world today.
Dwayne Johnson’s collaboration with Disney began with family-friendly films such as Game Plan (2007) And Race to Witch Mountain (2009), endearing him to audiences of all ages. He further expanded his Disney portfolio by taking on the role as the voice of the demigod Maui in the animated musical. Moana (2016). His performance, which included the hit “You’re Welcome,” showcased his vocal abilities and comedic approach. The film’s critical acclaim and box office success marked another joint success for Disney and Johnson.
In fact, the animated film was so popular that it inspired the creation of its own attraction at Walt Disney World Resort called the Water Journey Inspired by Moana, at EPCOT, scheduled to open this October. Additionally, the film was such a success at the box office that Disney and CEO Bob Iger announced months ago that they would be producing a live-action version of the film, with Johnson reprising his role as Maui and serving as an executive producer. on the project. Of course, that’s not all that’s going on with Dwayne Johnson.
While The Rock has made a few appearances recently, including a return to WWE where he spoke with longtime rival John Cena, many fans are looking forward to seeing what could be next for the beloved figure in his acting career. He played a cameo role as Luke Hobbs in the latest Fast and Furious film (Fast), is preparing another film in which he will return, and there have been rumors that Johnson may reprise his role as the Scorpion King in a new installment Mommy franchise.
However, one film that has yet to receive any updates is the Disney sequel. Jungle Cruise (2021).
In this action-adventure film inspired by the attractions of Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort, Johnson effortlessly combined the action hero image with his signature humor, creating a character with charm and charisma. His portrayal of Frank Wolf, a riverboat skipper with a mysterious past, alongside Emily Blunt (Dr. Lily Houghton) provided audiences with a delightful and immersive cinematic experience.
Although the film suffered a significant box office loss—only $221 million while needing over $500 million to break even—it was enough for Disney to announce that it would be making a sequel to the film just months after its release. However, after this first announcement the company went silent.
Disney was faced with ongoing strikes in Hollywood (even though the WGA had tentatively struck a deal), and this gave the company time for some introspection. As a result, several projects that were once planned to be implemented are no longer on the agenda.
Is Jungle Cruise 2 one of those?
Disney didn’t say this Jungle Cruise 2 was cancelled, but multiple insiders have indicated that the company may decide to abandon the film, especially right away, as writers potentially return to studios and other projects that were shelved to begin production again.
New Disney live-action film Moana The film was reportedly already set to begin shooting in October and will apparently be delayed for now. This means that Disney is likely considering starting filming on this movie in 2024. Add in the other projects he’s reportedly already involved in, and Johnson will be busy for quite some time. If it takes a couple of years before Disney can begin production on the film, it’s understandable that it could be canceled altogether.
Keep in mind that these are just rumors and speculation, but there are no expectations – at least for now – that we’ll see Jungle Cruise 2 any time in the near future.
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