2013 was a big year for Dwayne Johnson becoming the most bankable actor of the year, according to
Forbes. A lot of us have been wondering, when Dwayne Johnson would make the jump to straight-up comic book films. He's currently testing the waters with
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (also attached for
G.I. Joe 3) and
Hercules, both have origins linked to comics but started in other mediums.
We thought he was going to be landing on the side of Marvel because of his electric personality, however that doesn't seem to be. He was wanted for the role of Drax in Guardians of The Galaxy but turned it down for a starring role in Hercules instead. There had also been rumblings they were looking at him for the role of Luke Cage, the character is now getting his own Netflix series instead of a feature film. Something that would likely not be attractive to Johnson (along with other Cage contenders), since he's a legitimate action film star and is getting major offers from the big studios.
A new Tweet from the man himself, might be serious confirmation that he's more likely getting a role within the DC film universe. Dwayne confirms a meeting with Warner Bros. about a DC role. He doesn't give details, but we some ideas of what it could be.
Johnson at one point was wanted for the role of
Lobo, which at the time had director Brad Peyton attached to direct (Guy Ritchie had been originally attached). The pair previously worked together on
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and will be re-teaming for the earthquake action flick
San Andreas. The project had been priority at the studio at one point with Joel Silver producing and Guy Ritchie set to direct, and screen testing Jeffrey Dean Morgan (
Watchmen) for the lead. The film had a script from Akiva Goldsman (
I Am Legend, Winter's Tale, Fringe) and in 2009 he spoke to the LATimes (via
FirstShowing) about Ritchie being involved.
"There's something hyperbolic and authentic about a Guy Ritchie movie. His best movie are deeply, deeply stylized yet they are all grounded; there's a grit of stylization, which sounds like an oxymoron but it makes perfect sense when you've seen his films," Goldsman said. "We've never seen Guy's sensibility married to a project with such a large special effects budget."
Guy would later exit the film to focus on
Sherlock Holmes A Game of Shadows and
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. which co-stars Henry Cavill.
With Ritchie wrapping up
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (also at Warner Bros.) the director could be coaxed into coming back to direct. That's unless his
Treasure Island film is ready to go next, as
Deadline reported back in the summer that writers had been finally hired, the pirate film is setup at Warner Bros.
Johnson spoke about the project earlier in the year, stating to MTV (via
ScreenRant) it was currently off the table. Things change since DC is scrambling to find feature films (mostly with obscure characters) to roll out into theatres to compete with Marvel. Nothing is set in stone as the project had been revived once already.
“It was [there] for a minute, but then it kind of just went away. As things happen in Hollywood sometime. For a minute I was interested in it (Lobo), then it went away.”
A member of Justice League has been assumed because Dwayne is the type of actor able to handle his own franchise. A bankable American action star (a rare breed these days) that has already re-energized franchises like Fast And Furious and G.I. Joe, having him headline a feature film for DC doesn't sound unlikely. We know more than a few these characters will be teased, cameo or have supporting roles in Zack Snyder's Batman Vs Superman.
Characters such as Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Cyborg have been linked to appear in the film, and each could very well get their own standalone films. There is also the possibility he's being considered for the villain roles of Doomsday and Metallo, who are rumored for Batman Vs Superman. Seeing Johnson added to the mix would make sense if it led to a franchise down the line, but I don't really see him taking on one-shot villain role, unless it would allow him to be centre stage like Tom Hardy's Bane. He was once rumored for the new terminator role in Alan Taylor's Terminator: Genesis.
One character I haven't seen mentioned is Deathstroke, who is expected to get his own feature which is being produced and possibly written by David Goyer (Dark Knight Trilogy, Man of Steel, Batman Vs Superman). The character will also play a major role in Suicide Squad, another Goyer produced DC feature that has been in development for ages. Both Squad and Deathstroke have been the more recent projects reported in development at Warner Bros. (along with Sandman), we have to assume that Deathstroke's future in the DCU could be big enough that it might attract Johnson. As we haven't heard officially or from trades that Warner Bros. is considering taking another crack at Green Lantern or giving Cyborg his own film, but Deathstroke seems like a character that could be huge.
To be fair, we don't know for sure he's up for any of these roles, but it's something to consider when every blog is claiming different angles.
