Dwayne Johnson’s Live-Action Disney Remake Is More Important After 2 Confirmed Franchise Endings

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For almost ten years, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a guaranteed success in Hollywood, single-handedly boosting franchises like G.I. Joe and Fast & Furious, becoming the highest-paid actor, and building a powerful brand that could draw huge audiences to new films like San Andreas. But recently, that strong image has started to falter. Issues with the direction of Black Adam at DC Studios damaged his reputation, and a very public disagreement with his Fast co-stars undermined his image as a reliable team player.

Look, I’m a big Dwayne Johnson fan, but things haven’t been going great lately. His Christmas movie, Red One, just didn’t perform as well as we all hoped, bringing in around $186 million. And his recent move towards more serious roles with The Smashing Machine was a total flop. Honestly, it’s starting to feel like he’s losing his touch – that guarantee of a hit movie just isn’t there anymore, and it’s worrying to see his influence fading.

Dwayne Johnson’s once-assured Hollywood success is now uncertain, and a lot depends on how well the next Moana movie does. Recent news hasn’t been good: the Jungle Cruise sequel has been cancelled, and he’s confirmed that Jumanji: The Final Level will be the last Jumanji film. Losing these two popular franchises around the same time means Johnson’s future as a box office draw now heavily relies on the success of his return to the Moana universe.

The Moana Live-Action Remake Could Help Dwayne Johnson to Keep His Hollywood Domain

The upcoming Moana live-action movie is a smart move for Dwayne Johnson, helping to solidify his position as a major leading actor. Set to release in 2026, he’ll be back as the demigod Maui, alongside newcomer Catherine Laga’aia as Moana. Beyond acting, Johnson is also a producer on the film through his Seven Bucks Productions, giving him significant creative control—the most he’s had over a project since leaving DC. This allows him to directly influence how the story is told and the overall direction of the film, and positions him as a key figure in expanding the Moana franchise.

Dwayne Johnson’s significant investment in a live-action Moana movie comes as Disney’s strategy of making live-action remakes has become less reliable. Recent films have had very mixed results: Snow White was a major disappointment, barely earning back its production costs, while Lilo & Stitch was a big hit, earning over $1 billion. Mufasa: The Lion King made a profit, but earned far less than the original Lion King. Even The Little Mermaid, while successful, didn’t reach the same high levels, suggesting that audiences are losing interest in these remakes.

Dwayne Johnson is benefiting from the strong performance of the Moana franchise. The first Moana movie was a huge hit, earning $687 million worldwide. It’s remained incredibly popular over the past decade, becoming the most-watched film across all streaming platforms in 2024 with billions of minutes viewed. This led to a massive debut for Moana 2 in November 2024, which exceeded expectations and broke box office records, earning over $1.05 billion globally. By joining this incredibly successful franchise, Johnson is setting himself up for a major comeback.

The live-action Moana remake is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 10, 2026.

Will the upcoming live-action Moana movie be different enough from the original animated film to feel worthwhile? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-11 21:41