There was a time not that long ago when Dwyane Johnson was considered “franchise Viagra” in the movie industry. If you had a struggling or floundering franchise you could drop him into it and count your money at the box office. Think G.I Joe or the Fast & Furious.

Well, times have changed and The Rock no longer has the appeal he once had and according to one film critic he’s struggling to get projects greenlight.

“The Rock has had a really hard time getting greenlights,” said film critic Jeff Sneider on his podcast The Hot Mic with Jeff Sneider and John Rocha. “I’m hearing that Dwayne is [having] trouble getting greenlights after his last couple movies, which are Jungle Cruise, Red Notice, [and] Black Adam. And so basically, he was forced to go back to the character of Hobbs and do this [Fast & Furious] franchise. And the thing that doesn’t bode well is that this individual is also saying that Red One is not good as well. Red One is his upcoming Amazon one, and I’ve heard that Amazon is the latest studio to be like, ‘Yeah, we’re done doing this experience again.’”

Look, I like The Rock. You like The Rock. His movies are entertaining and typically an enjoyable way to kill a couple of hours but action stars do tend to have a shelf life as being bankable “A-listers”. When was the last time you got really hyped to watch the latest Stallone or Schwarzenegger film? You might still watch one or stop if you see it on TV but they no longer have the box-office draw they once did and I’m afraid that’s where The Rock is headed. A bunch of “B movies” strung together for paychecks.

Dwyane bet BIG on Black Adam and he lost. I’ve also read repeatedly that his bet on Black Adam stems from talk that his name alone cannot carry a franchise. That he has to be secondary or part of an ensemble. It does add up when you think about his most enjoyable films (Jumanji, Central Intelligence, Red Notice, Fast & Furious, Be Cool, etc.,) Perhaps that got to him. But when Black Adam bombed he’s had to eat some humble pie and go back to a franchise he swore he’d never go back to.

Johnson announced the news on his social media on Thursday, saying that he’s “one hundred percent confirming” that his character Luke Hobbs is back in the mix, and thanked audiences for their support and excitement surrounding his surprise cameo in “Fast X,” which hit theaters in May.

In 2021, Johnson told CNN that he “would not be returning to the franchise” after last appearing in the 2019 “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff movie, and despite a public plea from mainstay “Fast & Furious” star Vin Diesel asking him to return.

So I guess you could say “FINALLY, THE ROCK HAS COME BACK… TO THE FAST & FURIOUS!” and if I’m being honest, I can smell what he’s cooking and it smells like desperation.