Dwayne Johnson flips through blockbuster franchises the way a Las Vegas card dealer shuffles a deck. The Rock is constantly tinkering with franchises and roles, meaning he could bounce from a Fast & Furious follow up to a DC Extended Universe property, and back to a San Andreas sequel. The man always has options... and thoughts on where his potential series should go. In 2013, Johnson lent his considerable charms to the G.I. Joe franchise, bringing Roadblock to the big screen for the first time, and when we asked Rock where he'd like to see the next movie in this franchise go, he talked about expanding the scope of the series, and this cinematic world. The Rock tells us:
We have talked with Paramount. ... They have a big writers' room with Transformers. With G.I. Joe, too. But the world of G.I. Joe, what's exciting about that is, it's just an opportunity to build out. Now, we've made two G.I. Joes. What they can do is phenomenal, right? When you think about M.A.S.K., and you think about G.I. Joe, and you think about the world that they can build out. I think, if they are interested in bringing Roadblock back, great, let's talk about it. But I wish them the best of luck. I loved working in that movie and the franchise, and if I didn't do it again, I'm great with them, and I wish them the best of luck. But I do hope they build it out really nicely, and I think they can.
Dwayne Johnson is correct. In an era where cinematic universes are all the rage, and blockbusters like Suicide Squad or Captain America: Civil War end on cliffhangers that fans know will be resolved, Paramount and Hasbro have real potential in the G.I. Joe universe to expand on the mythology that's been laid out. And the second G.I. Joe movie, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, proved that you could bring in fresh faces like The Rock or Bruce Willis, because they can play legendary Joe figures who don't have to be part of every movie.
That being said, Rock's summary at the end of his answer to our own Eric Eisenberg, obtained on the Baywatch junket, suggests that he might not have time to come back and play Roadblock in a third G.I. Joe movie. There's "busy," and then there's "Dwayne Johnson busy." While most actors are content to have one move in theaters in a given calendar year, The Rock's slacking if he only delivers three. With The Fate of the Furious in theaters as we speak, Johnson's prepping Baywatch, and will be back with Jumanji in December. And don't even get us started on the number of movies The Rock is circling, in some stage.
Could we get Dwayne Johnson back in another G.I. Joe movie? It's totally possible. He says he loved working on G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and if the writers' room set up by Hasbro was able to expand on the mythology the way that Dwayne Johnson hopes that they can, they could lure him back. Imagine if Paramount ever completes that script for a G.I. Joe and Transformers team up movie? The Rock would be IDEAL for that. Until we get closer to that development, Rock will remain in Joe Limbo, but at least he has made it clear what he wants to see in the next Joe movie.
Listen to The Rock talk G.I. Joe in our exclusive interview:
And look for The Rock on the beach in Baywatch beginning on May 25.
