Marvel Reportedly Wants Dwayne Johnson To Play A Huge X-Men Villain
Dwayne Johnson's failed DC takeover is in the rearview mirror, but he might be getting ready to defect to the other major superhero franchise. According to a paywalled post on X (formerly known as Twitter) from notable Hollywood insider @MyTimeToShineH, Marvel wants the wrestler-turned-actor to play the supervillain Apocalypse in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, suggesting he might be involved in the reportedly imminent X-Men reboot.
Johnson is known for playing powerful, larger-than-life figures, so he'd be a fitting choice to portray one of the most powerful mutants in the Marvel lore. Apocalypse and the X-Men go way back, and while he's mostly been a foe to the heroes, his history is complicated. Still, as the leader of the Four Horsemen and one of the universe's rare immortal mutants, Apocalypse could become the MCU's next formidable Big Bad. The franchise arguably needs a new baddie now that Kang could be out of the picture after Marvel dropped Jonathan Majors.
As of this writing, it remains to be seen if Johnson will heel it up in the MCU. It's worth mentioning that the door has been open to the Fast and Furious star for quite some time.
Kevin Feige and Dwayne Johnson have had discussions
Dwayne Johnson has a longstanding relationship with Disney that's reaped the rewards thanks to movies like "Moana" and "Jungle Cruise." As such, the possibility of him joining one of the studio's most bankable franchises doesn't seem like a far-fetched notion. Furthermore, he's previously talked to Kevin Feige about making it happen.
While speaking to Collider, Hiram Garcia, the president of Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions studio, confirmed that Feige and Johnson have tossed some ideas around. "DJ and Kevin have a great relationship and we've flirted around a few ideas before, but nothing serious. There's a mutual admiration for what we each have been doing and what Kevin has built over there is truly incredible."
An early Marvel movie pitch cast Johnson as Captain America, but the part ultimately went to Chris Evans. Still, it seems Johnson has been on Marvel's radar for a while, so never say never. Plus, the fact The Rock has been at the center of an angry viral backlash that tarnished his good-guy image means he might be best suited to play villains moving forward.