The Rock is Kicking Ass and Saving Franchises - Forbes
Dorothy PomerantzForbes StaffJohnson debuts on our Celebrity 100 this year.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s formula for box office success is twofold: “I can kick ass better than anyone on the planet,” he says. “And I have a decent smile.”
He flashes his teeth winningly to try to underscore his point. But the numbers are more impressive: This 6-foot-5 wrestler’s 15 movies have grossed more than $2.3 billion at the global box office. Then there’s how he’s done it. Rather than launch franchises, Johnson saves them. Last year he climbed onboard the tired Fast and Furious series and turned Fast Five into the franchise’s highest-grossing film ($626 million). Then he took over Journey to the Center of the Earth from Brendan Fraser, and Journey 2 brought in $81 million more than its predecessor. Next up: the second installment of G.I. Joe.
Producers have taken note: We estimate The Rock earned $36 million in the last 12 months, and his first spot on The FORBES Celebrity 100 seems to be a floor, not a ceiling.
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