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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

2012, Adventure/Fantasy, 1h 34m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Aggressively unambitious, Journey 2 might thrill tween viewers, but most others will find it too intense for young audiences and too cartoonishly dull for adults. Read critic reviews

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Journey 2: the mysterious island   photos.

Now 17, Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from an island where none should exist. Knowing that he will not be able to dissuade Sean from tracking the signal to its source, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), Sean's new stepfather, joins the teen on a quest to the South Pacific. Together with helicopter pilot Gabato (Luis Guzmán) and Gabato's feisty daughter, Kailani (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island and rescue its sole human inhabitant (Michael Caine).

Rating: PG (Some Adventure Action|Brief Mild Language)

Genre: Adventure, Fantasy

Original Language: English

Director: Brad Peyton

Producer: Beau Flynn , Tripp Vinson , Charlotte Huggins

Writer: Brian Gunn , Mark Gunn

Release Date (Theaters): Feb 10, 2012  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA): $103.8M

Runtime: 1h 34m

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Co: Contrafilm

Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

Cast & Crew

Dwayne Johnson

Michael Caine

Josh Hutcherson

Vanessa Hudgens

Kristin Davis

Luis Guzmán

Anna Colwell

Stephen Caudill

Branscombe Richmond

Brad Peyton

Screenwriter

Tripp Vinson

Charlotte Huggins

Richard Brener

Executive Producer

Michael Disco

Samuel J. Brown

Marcus Viscidi

Michael Bostick

Evan Turner

David Tattersall

Cinematographer

Production Design

David Rennie

Film Editing

Denise Wingate

Costume Design

Andrew Lockington

Original Music

Bruce Robert Hill

Supervising Art Direction

Gary Fettis

Set Decoration

News & Interviews for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s 10 Best Movies

Critics Consensus: Journey 2 Isn’t Quite Worth the Trip

Total Recall: Luis Guzman’s Best Movies

Critic Reviews for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Audience reviews for journey 2: the mysterious island.

What's interesting about this standard adventure tale is how it tells it's story: the barest bones of construction, and only the points you are already well versed with (from all the other adventure tales they've "borrowed" from) to get to the point quickly. Quite literally they find a "secret map written in code" and decipher the thing in less than 5 minutes, and then "it's off to the island!". Everything happens fast, and everyone's only playing a cliche, and so after a minute it becomes cool simply watching the race to the end. Should I tell you "no surprises here"? If I did, that would be the only surprise of this feature.

Better than the first mostly due to the fact that the cast were more likeable and the story wasn't as cheesy, It's still cheesy but it's fun, The effects were ok but some looked pretty bad in places, I can't comment on the 3D as I watched the 2D version but just like the first it looked like it would be good in 3D, The story was predictable but fun and most of all my kids enjoyed it and that's the films target audience so it's hard to be too critical.

I just finished watching on my cable this science fiction adventure comedy directed by Brad Peyton. This is a sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth, and is based on another Jules Verne novel, this time The Mysterious Island. Very unusual cast stars Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán, and Kristin Davis. The story was written by Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, and the screenplay by Brian and Mark Gunn. This movie became a box office success with a worldwide gross of nearly $326 million, surpassing its predecessor, I think mainly because of the 3D technology. The story is happening four years since the events of the first movie, and starts with the 18-year-old Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) involved in a chase with the police which ended with him driving into a swimming pool. His step-father Hank (Dwayne Johnson) arrives and later discovers that Sean had broken into a satellite research centre in order to boost the signal of a code he'd received by someone he suspects is Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather who had been missing for two years. Wanting to bond with his stepson the next day, Hank helps Sean decipher the code of Jules Verne and makes a map from the three books in the coded letter with the coordinates to its location. All they need to do now is to convince Sean's mother to let the both of them go in search of the island. This is a film with very likable characters and actors in an adventure which could excite the younger audience, but not too exciting for the older. It is moving quickly but parts of the story almost seemed unrelated at some moments. Directing seemed done without any motivation... that doesn't mean it was bad, but wasn't very noticeable. If you want to spend a night with a family watching something which is semi-sweet and very colourful, give it a go!

Journey to ridiculous. But nice visuals/SFX. The Rock delivers the same crappola performance he's famous for...sadly.

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"Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" looks like nothing so much as one of those live-action adventures that Disney used to grind out in the 1950s — and hey, here's Captain Nemo's Nautilus to prove it. Also, a tree house to humble "Swiss Family Robinson," which contains a short-wave radio that has been assembled from old spoons, I think I heard.

The movie is very, very loosely a sequel to " Journey to the Center of the Earth ," with only two connections: It's inspired by a Jules Verne novel, and it co-stars young Josh Hutcherson as the hero Sean. The film opens with him on a motorcycle and being chased by cops, but not to worry; all he did was break into a satellite-tracking station to boost the power on a message for help sent by his grandfather from a lost island in the Pacific.

Sean, whose father in the first film ( Brendan Fraser ) has disappeared (from the cast, anyway), now has to deal with Hank ( Dwayne Johnson , aka the Rock). Hank is his new stepdad. Josh and Hank make friends by decrypting grandfather's message; Hank glances at it and intuits that the two-syllable words stand for dots and one-syllable words stand for dashes, which means Grandpa has had enough free time on his remote island to figure out a way to make Morse code several times longer than it previously was. Unanswered is why grandfather would encrypt a call for help.

This Hank, what a swell guy. He proposes that the two of them fly off to the Pacific and find Grandpa. On arrival somewhere, they hire a tourist helicopter pilot named Gabato, played by Luis Guzman as another one of those low-comedy guys who gets all worked up and is scared of stuff. (I enjoyed a reprise of this classic shot: Gabato runs toward camera, falls on stomach, looks up …and up … and up.)

Gabato has a daughter named Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), a Polynesian beauty who wears a tank top and Daisy Dukes throughout the film. These four fly off in the helicopter, are trapped in a Force Five hurricane that rips it to pieces and are lucky enough to find themselves alive on the beach of the Mysterious Island.

This is your complete island. It has an active volcano; waterfalls with no apparent water sources streaming down cliffs; elephants the size of dogs, and giant lizards that are nowhere big enough to account for the size of their eggs. (Josh falls through the shell of one, splashes in a pool of yolk and is attacked by an unborn lizard chick.) Also on the island is the lost city of Atlantis, even though it's in the wrong ocean, and bees so big Sean and Kailani can both ride on the back of one. And Alexander Anderson, Sean's grandfather, played by Michael Caine , who will not be editing this role into his videos about how to act in movies.

I hope you understand I enjoyed most of this stuff. The director, Brad Peyton , apparently intended it as a genial parody of countless other movies in this spirit. There is, for example, a scene were Sean, Grandpa, Kailani and Gabato all sit around the old campfire and listen while Hank strums a ukulele and sings "What a Wonderful World." And I mean he sings it: every word of three verses. It's not every day you see the Rock channeling Gene Autry.

Sean deduces that Verne's novel contains everything they need to know, and this comes in handy when the volcano explodes, and the island begins to sink into the sea. Sure enough, Captain Nemo's submarine is still hidden underwater. Hank and Sean, trusting Verne, dive off a high cliff, and while holding their breath and swimming underwater, are able to (1) find the sub, (2) open the hatch by tugging and twisting it, (3) swim inside, (4) push a lever to fill it with air, and (5) get the power generator working by jump-starting it with an electric eel.

This is transcendently goofy. It isn't a "good" movie in the usual sense (or most senses), but it is jolly and good-natured, and Michael Caine and Dwayne Johnson are among the most likable of actors. Johnson is such a good sport, he even shows young Sean how to impress girls by flexing your pecs so quickly that nuts will ricochet off them. I can't think of any reason to pay extra for the 3-D.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Journey 2: Mysterious Island (2012)

Rated PG for some adventure action, and brief mild language

Josh Hutcherson as Sean

Dwayne Johnson as Hank

Vanessa Hudgens as Kailani

Michael Caine as Alexander

Luis Guzman as Gabato

Directed by

• Brad Peyton

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Journey 2: the mysterious island: film review.

Josh Hutcherson returns as Sean Anderson, who embarks on a mission to save his grandfather with the help of his mother's boyfriend, played by Dwayne Johnson.

By Megan Lehmann

Megan Lehmann

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Still - H 2012

A menagerie of outsized fauna is royally upstaged by Dwayne Johnson ’s dancing man-boobs in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , yet another from the Verne-adaptation school of fanciful family adventure.

A 3D update of one of the less widely read Jules Verne classics, it follows the 2008 hit J ourney to the Center of the Earth , a pioneer in the 3D resurrection that reached its zenith a year later with Avatar.

The Bottom Line Jules Verne rejuvenated for the iPhone age.

PHOTOS: Dwayne Johnson and 26 of Hollywood’s Most Popular Athletes-Turned-Actors

Verne was a fantasist nonpareil, but his 19th century imagination would surely have balked at the notion of berries pinging wildly off The Rock’s pecs as they do in this kid-friendly excursion from Canadian director Brad Peyton ( Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore ).

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The targeted demographic, however, will gladly hop aboard for a cornball ride through colorful, often glaringly phony sets popping with miniature elephants, gold-spewing volcanoes and a monster-truck-sized lizard.

For the adults, there’s the edifying sight of Michael Caine astride a giant bee.

The New Line and Contrafilm presentation, bowing in Australia January 19 before a global roll-out that reaches North America on February 10, can expect to at least equal the $250 million box office drawn by 2008’s Journey.

Josh Hutcherson , whose teen idol status is set to hit critical mass with his upcoming role in The Hunger Games , returns as intrepid young explorer Sean Anderson. In Journey, he was accompanied by his uncle (played by Brendan Fraser ), but this time round a cheerily self-aware Johnson, as his Navy vet stepfather Hank, is the responsible adult on board.

VIDEO:Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens and Dwayne Johnson Discover a ‘Mysterious Island’ in ‘Journey 2’ Trailer

Sean is now a rebellious 17-year-old and skeptical of the new father-figure chosen by his mom ( Kristen Davis ). The requisite male bonding ensues when Sean intercepts a coded distress signal which leads the pair to an uncharted island in the middle of the South Pacific and into the eccentric vortex of Sean’s adventurer grandfather, Alexander (Caine).

Equal and opposite attraction emerges in the form of the headstrong Kailani ( Vanessa Hudgens ), daughter of helicopter pilot Gabato ( Luis Guzmán , providing stale comic relief).

The island is a rainbow-filled world where evolutionary anomalies abound but, as the band of adventurers skips from one supersized Survivor -like challenge to the next, one can’t help feeling the creative potential of Verne’s vision is wasted.

There’s certainly nothing much here to frighten the children, although Johnson’s ukulele-accompanied rendition of “What a Wonderful World” might come close. The dense scientific discussion that characterized Verne’s “The Mysterious Island” is boiled down to an occasional spurt of exposition – and an iPhone cameo – as screenwriters Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn braid together elements from that novel, together with Robert Louis Stevenson ’s Robinson Crusoe and Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, to produce an episodic storyline.

Like Jane Austen , Verne has provided a rich seam for Hollywood screenwriters to mine long after his death. There have been various cinematic adaptations of his 1874 novel; the most fondly remembered is 1961’s Mysterious Island, celebrated for Ray Harryhausen ’s stop-motion animation and the buckskin micro-dress worn by Beth Rogan . That film followed the 1959 version of J ourney to the Center of the Earth in the same way Journey 2 follows 2008’s Journey , but was considered a sequel to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in that the megalomaniac Captain Nemo also featured.

Nemo is referenced obliquely here, but a glorious steam-punk rendering of the Nautilus is featured prominently, eventually getting a jump-start from a gigantic electric eel in one of the film’s most inventive set pieces.

Where the 1961 film took its make-believe seriously, Peyton is content creating a series of visual spectacles. Johnson sets the tone with an affable goofiness, although never ignites the spark that his labored banter with Caine requires.

Opens: Australia, January 19; U.S. February 10 Production company: New Line Cinema presentation of a Contrafilm production Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Caine, Luis Guzman Director: Brad Peyton Screenwriters: Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn, from a story by Richard Outten, Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn Producers: Beau Flynn, Tripp Vinson, Charlotte Huggins Executive producers: Richard Brener, Michael Disco, Samuel J. Brown, Marcus Viscidi, Michael Bostick and Evan Turner Co-producer: Dwayne Johnson Director of photography: David Tattersall Production designer: Bill Boes Costume designer: Denise Wingate Music: Andrew Lockington Editor: David Rennie Rated PG, 94 minutes

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Filming Begins on JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND Starring Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson

Filming has begun in Oahu, Hawaii for JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, which stars Dwayne Johnson, Josh Hutcherson, and Michael Caine.

Filming has begun in Oahu, Hawaii for Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , the sequel to the 2008 release Journey to the Center of the Earth . Josh Hutcherson ( The Kids Are All Right ) will reprise his role from the original, with Dwayne Johnson ( The Other Guys ) and Michael Caine ( Inception ) set to co-star along with Vanessa Hudgens ( High School Musical ), Luis Guzman ( Nothing Like the Holidays ) and Kristin Davis ( Couples Retreat ). Brad Peyton ( Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore ) is set to direct the 3D family flick.

Hit the jump for the official announcement, plus some of my thoughts.

This method of revamping and "kiddifying" classic Jules Verne novels may not exactly be my cup of cinematic tea... but considering that the first film wasn’t completely without its charms, I suppose there’s no harm in giving it another shot. And come on -- who hasn’t, at some point in their lives, desired to see Sir Michael Caine in glorious three dimensions? That’s what I thought.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is set for release September 23, 2011.

Here's the official press release:

Production Underway on New Line Cinema’s 3D Family Adventure “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzman and Kristin Davis to Star. Filming has begun on location in Oahu, Hawaii, for the 3D family adventure "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," directed by Brad Peyton ("Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore"). Josh Hutcherson will reprise his role as young adventurer Sean Anderson in this exciting follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D," the first live-action film ever to be shot in digital 3D. Dwayne Johnson stars as Sean's stepfather, Hank Parsons; Michael Caine as Sean's grandfather, Alexander Anderson; Vanessa Hudgens and Luis Guzman as a father-daughter tour guide team; and Kristin Davis as Sean's mom, Liz Anderson. The new journey begins when Sean receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist - a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter, they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever. "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is being produced by Beau Flynn & Tripp Vinson, and Charlotte Huggins from a screenplay by Mark Gunn & Brian Gunn, story by Richard Outten. Serving as executive producers are Michael Bostick, Evan Turner, Marcus Viscidi, Richard Brener, Samuel J. Brown and Michael Disco. The creative filmmaking team includes director of photography David Tattersall ("Gulliver's Travels"), production designer Bill Boes ("Fantastic Four"), costume designer Denise Wingate ("Wedding Crashers") and Academy Award© nominated visual effects supervisor Boyd Shermis ("Poseidon"). Beginning in January 2011, production will move to Wilmington, North Carolina, to finish shooting after the holiday hiatus, and is scheduled to wrap principal photography in February 2011. "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" is a New Line Cinema presentation, a Walden Media and Contrafilm production and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

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Journey 2: The Mysterious Island - Full Cast & Crew

• 41   Metascore
• 1 hr 34 mins
• Fantasy, Family, Comedy, Action & Adventure, Science Fiction
• Watchlist Where to Watch

Sean Anderson and his stepfather Hank travel to a lost island with strange creatures and untold treasures after receiving a cryptic distress signal in this sequel to 2008's "Journey to the Center of the Earth". Along with a helicopter pilot and his daughter, they race to rescue the sole inhabitant as a massive tidal wave threatens to destroy the island.

Screenwriter

Screen story, executive producer, assoc. producer, co-producer, visual effects producer, cinematographer, production company, supervising art director, sound/sound designer, sound mixer, sound effects, special effects supervisor, special effects technician, special effects, visual effects supervisor, visual effects editor, production designer, first assistant director, unit production manager, post production supervisor, production coordinator, production supervisor, second assistant director, second unit director, hair styles, location manager, re-recording mixer, script supervisor, still photographer, department head hair.

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island —The Rock’s Latest Family Role

(L. to R.) Josh Hutcherson, Luis Guzmán, Vanessa Hudgens and Dwayne Johnson

A majestic mountain of muscles, Dwayne Johnson is fully capable of using his pectorals to catapult small objects hither and yon, a skill he demonstrates with berries in the blithely idiotic family movie Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . But the muscles that matter most to Johnson, the actor, as opposed to the former pro wrestler, are the zygomaticus major, which control the smile. They are as buff and ready for action as his chest and arms, an emblem of easy charm.

He uses the quick smile on his future stepson, Sean (Josh Hutcherson, returning to this Jules Verne-goes-21st-century franchise, which began with 2008’s Journey to the Center of the Earth ) but to no avail. The boy dislikes Hank even though he seems to make mom (Kirstin Davis) happy and is kind and decent. The movie’s largest emotional concern is creating a bond between the recalcitrant, Verne-obsessed teen and the man obsessed with being a good father figure to Sean. Hank’s motivation comes from his own bad dad experience; his father “left when I was eight and I haven’t seen him since.”

(Vote in TIME’s Oscar Competition: Our Hunt for the BEST Best Picture )

Don’t worry; their emotional journey is a piece of cake, as is every easily earned triumph in this lightweight adventure tale. The story opens with Sean puzzling over a coded radio signal he believes is a message from his missing grandfather. (The family has a tendency to wander; Dad was missing in the first Journey, which starred another muscle man, Brendan Fraser.) Hank, who has a Navy background, cracks the code far faster than most parents decipher the grading system on an elementary school report card. The radio communiqué contains an announcement to quicken the heart of any Vernian; the writer’s allegedly fictional island from his 1874 novel The Mysterious Island is in fact real and located in the South Pacific. Come visit!

If ill-mannered Sean were my future stepson I doubt very much I’d want to take him halfway across the world, and particularly not to an uncharted isle where we could potentially get stuck together for all time, but that’s just what Hank does. Mom stays behind (Davis has maybe four minutes of screen time, all of it smiling benevolently), but two other travelers join them, a hapless helicopter pilot (Luiz Guzman) and his daughter (Vanessa Hudgens). Another quibble – if I’d traveled all that way to see a hidden tropical treasure, where butterflies are the size of condors and elephants the size of cocker spaniels, I’d plan to linger and smell the hibiscus or at least let red-faced, immature Grandpa (Michael Caine) cook me a nice plate of scrambled lizard eggs. But not Hank; he’d like to keep the visit as short as a pit stop on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Danger in the form of giant lizards and bad jokes await them, as well as a clumsy mishmash of classic literature references – not just Verne – meant to make the audience feel erudite while explaining the complexities of the island. It’s Jonathan Swift’s Lilliput or Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island or Atlantis, or maybe all three at once. (I was disappointed that Sean, Hank and their companions — who provide comic and comely relief — didn’t spend a few nights at CliffsNotes Cottage.) All this is just an excuse for action sequences broadly influenced by the Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean movies but nowhere near as technologically lively, even in 3-D. The crumbling caverns and skeletons all look as fake as the drooling volcano towering over the center of the island.

But as cartoonish as those giant lizards, spiders and hungry, angry birds appear, parents are advised to take that PG rating seriously. A child near me at an advance screening hid his face in his chair during every chase sequence and bellowed “this is not a movie to take kids to!” (Okay, he was sitting right next to me. And on our car ride home, he voiced the opinion that PG should be for kids 9 and up.) Certainly it’s not for very small kids. It’s silly enough that young teens are unlikely to be drawn to it unless they’ve got a thing for Hudgens or want to take an early peek at Hutcherson, who will soon be seen as Peeta in The Hunger Games. He was great as a sulky brat in The Kids Are All Right but in Journey 2 he comes across as wooden, dull and though not yet 20, too old for roles like these. So an awful lot is riding on Johnson’s zygomaticus major. They’re powerful, but they can’t work miracles.

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Journey to the Center of the Earth

On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth. On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth. On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth.

• Eric Brevig
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• 268 User reviews
• 192 Critic reviews
• 57 Metascore
• 3 wins & 4 nominations

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• Gum-Chewing Girl

• Sigurbjörn Ásgeirsson
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• Trivia When Trevor opens the box of stuff belonging to his lost brother, he pulls out an odd wooden item, says he doesn't know what it is, and sets it aside. The item is a Holmes Stereoscope, designed in 1861 by Oliver Wendell Holmes to look at stereocards. Similar to postcards, they show a left-view and right-view photograph mounted next to each other. When viewed through a stereoscope, the photographs merge into one 3-D image. The Holmes Stereoscope was a great source of entertainment in the Victorian era. The same process was later adopted for ViewMaster viewers and cards.
• Goofs (at around 1h 18 mins) When Trevor tries to ignite the magnesium with a flare, he claims that it's "...too wet...". Magnesium burns in water, producing magnesium oxide and hydrogen - in fact, pouring water on burning magnesium intensifies the fire; the most effective way to douse a magnesium fire is to cover it with sand or dry dirt.

Sean : [running from a dinosaur] Haven't you ever seen a dinosaur before?

Trevor : Not with skin on it!

• Crazy credits As the credits are rolling a stick of dynamite with a burning fuse sometimes falls past them. In the 3D version, it is sometimes in the background and sometimes the foreground. When the credits end the dynamite explodes.
• Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Wanted/Finding Amanda/Journey to the Center of the Earth/WALL-E/Encounters at the End of the World (2008)

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• Oct 29, 2008
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• July 11, 2008 (United States)
• United States
• Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D
• New Line Cinema
• Walden Media
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• $60,000,000 (estimated)
• $101,704,370
• $21,018,141
• Jul 13, 2008
• $244,232,688

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• Runtime 1 hour 33 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Film / Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

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A 2012 sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) , directed by Brad Peyton, starring Dwayne Johnson , and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The story is a very loose adaptation of Verne's The Mysterious Island .

Four years after the previous movie, the now seventeen-year-old Sean ( Josh Hutcherson ) is fixated on finding his long-lost grandfather ( Michael Caine ), and, driven by the first film's revelation that Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth was a factual account, believes he has found the key to discovering him: by overlaying the island maps in Gulliver's Travels , Treasure Island and The Mysterious Island , he creates a map of a new island, complete with coordinates. Heading to the western Pacific to seek out the island, Sean and his stepfather Hank (Johnson) secure a helicopter for their search but are caught in a storm and crash on their destination, a lost land of dwarf elephants, giant butterflies and huge, aggressive lizards — and also, incidentally, the home of the lost city Atlantis. They discover that the island submerges and reemerges on a regular cycle, and, when they realize that it will soon vanish back into the sea, they set out on a frantic search for their only way off — the Nautilus , Captain Nemo's legendary submarine.

This movie contains examples of:

• Artifact Title : A mild case. The title would have made more sense if they had left off the "Journey 2" part, but there is technically a journey (just not to the center of the earth and it's not particularly long as they spend most of the movie trying to get off The Mysterious Island ).
• Atlantis : The lost city is located on the island. They also reference the fact the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea had Atlantis under the ocean.
• Big Damn Kiss : Between Sean and Kailani in the movie's climax.
• Canon Welding : This movie makes at least the settings of Journey To The Center of The Earth , 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea , and The Mysterious Island equally real in-universe, as well as parts of Treasure Island and Gulliver's Travels .
• Alexander brings up the Vernians in the opening narration and is established as the original Vernian in the Anderson family.
• Sean's wall displays articles referencing him and his uncle's expedition from the previous film.
• Alexander references Max's death in the last film.
• Death by Materialism : Narrowly averted with Gabato, who nearly dies trying to dig up a giant lump of gold. He isn’t motivated by greed, however. He just wants to give his daughter a better life and a good education.
• Disappeared Dad : Hank’s father ran out on him when he was a small boy. As a result , Hank is determined to be the best stepfather he can possibly be to Sean.
• Do Not Call Me "Paul" : Henry... er, Hank. Actually, it's not made clear if Henry really is Hank's name, or if Hank isn't really a nickname, but all the same, Hank doesn't like being called Henry.
• Fanservice : Vanessa Hudgens wearing a tank top and short shorts for almost the entire movie. Also, did any male viewers who saw it in 3D regret paying extra in the scene where she crawls out of a collapsing tunnel with the camera on her from behind ? Thought not.
• Hank is a genuinely caring person, and does worry about Sean. But, the way he insults Sean's grandfather, in front of Sean , is just a tad mean-spirited. He gets better though.
• Alexander, for mainly the same reasons. He and Hank pretty much take turns insulting and undermining each other for the first half of the movie before beginning to respect each other.
• Practically the moment Kailani appears, in a tank top, the camera goes straight to her breasts.
• As mentioned above, when Kailani is crawling out of the cave, the camera is focused on her butt.
• Oh, Crap! : When Hank attempts to punch the giant lizard. Hank: I think I just made it worse.
• Ominous Crack : The giant lizard egg that starts cracking under Gabato's weight.
• Psycho Electric Eel : A very big nippy one in the sea cave where the Nautilus is hidden.
• Remember the New Guy? : Alexander Anderson was never mentioned in the previous film, despite this film implying he was the one who get Max into Verne. Handwaved by the film noting that he was never around.

• Shout-Out : The giant iguana is a huge Shout-Out towards monster movies in the 50s when they used iguanas and gators for dinosaurs .
• The Stinger : A mid-credits scene reveals that three small elephants survived the submerging of Atlantis, and they are seen swimming underwater towards that city. Indicating that the flora and fauna of the island have evolved to survive the islands cyclists submerging.
• Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? : Hank really doesn't like lizards and is freaked out by the overgrown one the group runs into on the island. "Why did it have to be lizards? Why couldn't it be snakes? "
• Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
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• Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons

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Dwayne Johnson Success Story: A Journey to Stardom

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s meteoric rise to fame is a testament to his incredible work ethic, drive, and determination. Born into a wrestling family in 1972, he has overcome numerous challenges to become one of the biggest stars in the world. As an actor, businessman, and former professional wrestler, Johnson is widely considered one of the most successful professional wrestlers in the world, with an eight-year stint with the WWE.

After an injury ended his college football career, Johnson stepped into the wrestling ring and eventually became a household name as “The Rock.” His undeniable charisma and athleticism not only catapulted him to the top of the wrestling world but also opened doors for a lucrative acting career. With blockbuster franchise successes like “Fast and the Furious” and “Jumanji,” he has become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors and among its highest-paid.

Johnson’s journey from a wrestling dynasty to global superstardom offers valuable insights into perseverance, adaptability, and personal growth. As one of the most successful and influential entertainers in the world, his story serves as an inspiration to anyone who dreams of turning their talents and hard work into a legendary career.

Early Life and Education

Growing up in hayward, california.

Dwayne Johnson was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California, into a wrestling family. His father, Rocky Johnson, was a legendary wrestler and hall of famer, while his maternal grandfather, Peter Maivia, emerged onto the professional scene in the 1960s and ’70s. Although Johnson spent most of his childhood in Hawaii, he attended Montclaire Elementary School in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Hamden, Connecticut. In Hamden, he went to Shepherd Glen Elementary School and subsequently Hamden Middle School.

University of Miami and Football Career

After completing high school, Johnson earned a full scholarship to the University of Miami, where he pursued a degree in criminology and played as a defensive lineman for the football team. At the university, he earned multiple accolades, including being a part of the 1991 National Championship team.

Unfortunately, a back injury during his college career led to a decline in his football performance. Despite the setback, Johnson graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of General Studies degree in criminology and physiology.

Wrestling Career

From rocky maivia to the rock.

Dwayne Johnson, born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California, comes from a proud wrestling family. His maternal grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, and his father, Rocky Johnson, were both successful wrestlers. Dwayne started his wrestling career as “Rocky Maivia” in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) – later known as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) – as a tribute to his father and grandfather.

Dwayne’s early days in the WWF saw him struggling to connect with the audience. However, his fortunes changed when he decided to reinvent himself as “The Rock.” This persona allowed him to truly showcase his charisma and mic skills, quickly becoming one of the most popular figures in wrestling history.

Success in the WWE

During his time in the WWE, The Rock rose to astonishing heights. He held multiple championships, headlined pay-per-view events, and engaged in iconic rivalries with wrestling legends such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, and Mankind. Some of his most remarkable accomplishments include winning the Royal Rumble and becoming an eight-time WWE Champion.

The Rock’s wrestling career not only made him famous within the WWE but also propelled him to international stardom. His catchphrases, like “If you smell what The Rock is cookin’,” and his signature moves, such as the “People’s Elbow” and the “Rock Bottom,” cemented his status as a cultural icon in the wrestling world.

Challenges and Adversities

Despite his meteoric rise in the WWE, Dwayne Johnson’s life was not without its fair share of challenges and adversities. He struggled with depression at different points in his life, particularly during his early days in wrestling.

Johnson’s resilience and determination helped him overcome these obstacles, and he continued to excel in the wrestling industry. Dwayne notably used his experiences with adversity to inspire others in wrestling and beyond, encouraging people to never give up in the face of challenges. His journey ultimately led him to transition from a career in wrestling to becoming a successful actor and entrepreneur.

By drawing from his wrestling family’s legacy and overcoming personal struggles, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson solidified his status as one of the most successful wrestlers in history and a shining example of how dedication and hard work can lead to greatness.

Acting Career

Transition from wrestling to acting.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made a remarkable transition from wrestling to acting. After achieving great success as a professional wrestler, Johnson decided to try his hand at acting. His initial foray into films was with a brief role in “The Mummy Returns” (2001), which paved the way for his first leading role in the action fantasy film “The Scorpion King” (2002).

Breakthrough in Hollywood

As The Rock continued to gain popularity and confidence in acting, he started taking on diverse roles that showcased his acting chops alongside his action star persona. Johnson’s versatility soon began to garner attention and earned him opportunities to work with well-known filmmakers. Some of his early breakthroughs in Hollywood include movies such as “The Game Plan” (2007) and “Race to Witch Mountain” (2009).

Box Office Hits and Notable Roles

Johnson’s career took a meteoric rise with several box office hits and notable roles, catapulting him to the ranks of top Hollywood actors. He joined the “Fast & Furious” franchise with “Fast Five” (2011), which not only rejuvenated the series but also solidified his place as an action star. The Rock further expanded his range by starring in family-friendly films like “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” (2012) and voicing the character of Maui in Disney’s animated hit, “Moana” (2016).

His role in “San Andreas” (2015) exhibited his prowess as a leading man in an action-disaster movie, while “Central Intelligence” (2016) displayed his comedic timing. Johnson continued to entertain audiences with films such as “Baywatch” (2017), “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” (2017), and its sequel “Jumanji: The Next Level” (2019).

Additionally, Johnson has dabbled in producing and starred in the HBO series “Ballers” (2015-2019), which showcased his acting range in a more dramatic role. He even created and hosted the competition show “The Titan Games” (2019-2020), further expanding his presence in the entertainment industry.

Some of his more recent projects include “Skyscraper” (2018), “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” (2019), “Jungle Cruise” (2021), and “Red Notice” (2021). Despite his impressive filmography, Johnson remains humble and grounded, attributing his success to hard work, determination, and a passion for entertaining audiences.

Entrepreneurship and Production Companies

Seven bucks productions.

Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” is not only the highest-paid actor in the world according to Forbes but also a successful entrepreneur. Alongside his business partner, Dany Garcia, they co-founded Seven Bucks Productions . This production company is responsible for creating multi-million dollar movies and TV shows, showcasing Johnson’s keen business acumen and dedication to delivering high-quality entertainment.

Under the Seven Bucks Productions banner, some notable projects include popular films such as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Hobbs & Shaw, and the hit TV show Ballers. Johnson’s active involvement in the production process, coupled with his natural charisma and talent, has immensely contributed to the success of these projects.

Teremana Tequila

In addition to his thriving production company, Dwayne Johnson has ventured into the spirits industry with the launch of Teremana Tequila . This premium tequila brand has garnered widespread attention and praise for its quality and unique taste. Johnson’s commitment to crafting a top-notch tequila experience is evident not only in the product itself but also in its branding and marketing efforts, which often include his personal touch.

Teremana Tequila has seen rapid success since its inception, becoming a popular choice for both casual drinkers and tequila connoisseurs alike. Johnson’s entrepreneurial journey demonstrates his ability to seamlessly transition between worlds and industries, mastering each domain with equal prowess.

In summary, Dwayne Johnson’s success story extends beyond the realms of acting and professional wrestling. His ventures in entrepreneurship, particularly Seven Bucks Productions, and Teremana Tequila, are prime examples of his determination, talent, and business instinct, which have led him to become a global icon in multiple industries.

Personal Life and Family

Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock,” was born on May 2, 1972, in Hayward, California. He hails from a professional wrestling family, with his father, Rocky Johnson, being a Canadian wrestler, and his maternal grandfather “High Chief” Peter Maivia, being a Samoan wrestler in the 1960s and 70s. Through his maternal lineage, Johnson is a non-blood relative to the Anoa’i wrestling family.

Marriage and Children

Johnson married his first wife, Dany Garcia, in 1997, and they have a daughter named Simone, born in 2001. The couple amicably separated in 2007 but continue to work together in various professional ventures. In 2019, Johnson married his longtime partner, Lauren Hashian, and they have two children together: Jasmine, born in 2015, and Tiana, born in 2018.

Philanthropy

Dwayne Johnson is widely known for his charisma and inspiration both on and off-screen. His philanthropic endeavors further attest to his character. He founded the Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation in 2006, which focuses on improving the health and well-being of terminally ill and physically disabled children. Additionally, Johnson has been involved in charitable efforts related to disaster relief, mental health awareness, and support for the military and veterans.

Social Media

As a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, Johnson has a strong presence on social media platforms, where he shares glimpses of his personal life as well as his career accomplishments. His authentic and motivational content resonates with millions of followers around the world. Johnson’s Samoan heritage frequently appears in his posts, showcasing his pride in his roots and allowing him to connect with fans on a deeper level.

Lessons from Dwayne Johnson’s Success Story

Hard work and dedication.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s success story is a testament to his hard work and dedication. As a youngster, he was more interested in football than wrestling but eventually transitioned to wrestling due to circumstances. He made a name for himself in the WWE during his eight-year stint as a professional wrestler. It was through intense training and discipline that Johnson became one of the most successful professional wrestlers in the world.

Overcoming Challenges

Dwayne Johnson’s journey to stardom was not always smooth, as he encountered numerous adversities. His football dreams came to an end due to an injury, and he had to reshape his career. However, he didn’t let that stop him. Instead, he pivoted and pursued a wrestling career, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were both professional wrestlers.

In addition to wrestling, Dwayne Johnson faced challenges in his acting career. It took perseverance and determination for him to transition from being a professional wrestler to one of Hollywood’s most bankable actors. Johnson’s net worth of over $300 million is a reflection of his ability to overcome obstacles.

Leveraging Opportunities

Dwayne Johnson’s success story is also about his ability to leverage opportunities. After establishing himself in the wrestling ring, he made the leap to the small and big screens. His acting career took off with roles in blockbuster movies, and he continues to be a sought-after actor in Hollywood.

Johnson has also ventured into various business opportunities, proving that his skills go beyond wrestling and acting. His catchphrase, “With Drive And A Bit Of Talent You Can Move Mountains,” is a powerful life lesson that has guided him throughout his journey.

In conclusion, Dwayne Johnson’s success story offers valuable lessons about hard work, dedication, overcoming challenges, and leveraging opportunities. His journey stands as an inspiring example for anyone looking to accomplish their dreams and make the most out of life’s opportunities.

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Journey 3: Why From the Earth to the Moon Didn't Happen

Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon was highly anticipated by fans of the series. Here's why the sequel ultimately didn't happen.

The Journey franchise began with Journey to the Centre of the Earth , and continued with its sequel Journey 2: The Mysterious Island . Both films were hugely successful, and with the introduction of Dwayne Johnson in the second film, they fast became box office successes, picked up legions of fans, and looked on track to follow the classic film franchise formula for continued success.

Shortly after the success of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , a following sequel was announced which promised to be even bigger and better: Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon . Unfortunately, this project was paused shortly after, and then the announcement came that the film was no more . Here’s everything we know about the sequel and why it didn't happen.

Related: Best Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Movies, Ranked

Script Difficulties and Actor Commitment Issues

One of the first problems that was encountered by the Journey franchise was the curse of a lack of script for developing the project further. Johnson revealed in 2018 that the lack of a solid script was a large reason for his not being involved in the project. There was initial speculation that writers Chad and Carey W. Hayes would be tied to the film. This could have been exciting, given their previous work in films such as The Conjuring and House of Wax , representing the possibility for the script to change to be more mature or have horror themes which were not fully explored before. This creative direction was eventually scrapped for reasons unclear. Naturally, difficulties such as these meant that actors were hesitant to be tied to the project since it didn’t seem to be fully coming into fruition. It would have been interesting, however, to see what direction the Hayes Brothers could have taken the film in.

Dwayne Johnson’s Popularity Surged

Dwayne Johnson first gained huge popularity under his stage name The Rock. He initially appeared as a wrestler for WWE, where he wrestled for eight years and became one of the most famous wrestlers to ever be on the show, developing a huge following and growing in popularity year after year. This led to a continued career in film, beginning in 2002 when he starred in The Scorpion King , which then led to further success, allowing him to leave WWE altogether and act in Hollywood full time.

When Johnson joined the franchise in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island , his career was only just beginning to gain the momentum that it has today. The years following Journey 2 saw Johnson take on several huge projects, like Fast & Furious 6 , Hercules , San Andreas , and Moana , to name a few. It’s clear that his schedule was becoming more and more packed, and without a script for Journey 3 , the possibility of a sequel was put to the back of his to-do list. Despite director Peyton frequently stating in interviews that he did not have any plans for the franchise to end, the lack of Johnson’s presence would have likely thrown a wrench in the plans. Johnson eventually confirmed on Twitter that he would not be returning, which present the ultimate challenge for the film since he was an integral part to its success and general appeal. While responding to his fans, the actor stated that the reason behind the cancelation was the script and his busy work schedule.

Related: Here Are 8 Movie Sequels That Were Better Than the Original

There’s an Online Petition for the Project to be Resurrected

Understandably, fans were not happy with the decision for the film to be shelved, and Johnson’s announcement that he would not be returning in 2018 caused even further disappointment. The original director for the film was supposed to be Brad Peyton, and after having huge successes like San Andreas and Rampage , we can understand why fans were sad about missing out on this opportunity. In today’s world, fans have access to the internet and can be very vocal about their upset for these kinds of things. This has resulted in the setting up of a petition, which call for Dwayne Johnson and Brad Peyton to be attached to the film again, which you can find here .

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Everything Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Have Said About Their Feud

You don’t turn your back on family — unless you’re Vin Diesel or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson , who have been nursing grudges against each other off and on since at least 2016.

The two action stars made their first onscreen appearance together in 2011’s Fast Five , in which the former wrestler joined the already long-running franchise as Luke Hobbs, an agent pursuing the Fast and Furious crew for their various crimes against … every law enforcement agency in the world.

Everything seemed copacetic over the years as Johnson returned for the sixth and seventh entries in the saga , but in August 2016, Johnson set the fandom ablaze with a since-deleted Instagram post in which he referred to unnamed members of the cast as “candy asses.”

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Rumors immediately swirled that he was insulting Diesel, who had been part of the Fast franchise since the first movie premiered in 2001. A few days later, after filming for The Fate of the Furious wrapped, Johnson posted another Instagram thanking some of his castmates by name — Scott Eastwood and Nathalie Emmanuel , for example — but pointedly did not mention Diesel.

Keep scrolling to see everything Hobbs and Toretto have said about their feud over the years:

Credit: Shutterstock (2)

Everything Vin Diesel and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Have Said About Their Feud

You don't turn your back on family — unless you're Vin Diesel or Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson , who have been nursing grudges against each other off and on since at least 2016. The two action stars made their first onscreen appearance together in 2011's Fast Five , in which the former wrestler joined the already long-running franchise as Luke Hobbs, an agent pursuing the Fast and Furious crew for their various crimes against ... every law enforcement agency in the world. Everything seemed copacetic over the years as Johnson returned for the sixth and seventh entries in the saga , but in August 2016, Johnson set the fandom ablaze with a since-deleted Instagram post in which he referred to unnamed members of the cast as "candy asses." Rumors immediately swirled that he was insulting Diesel, who had been part of the Fast franchise since the first movie premiered in 2001. A few days later, after filming for The Fate of the Furious wrapped, Johnson posted another Instagram thanking some of his castmates by name — Scott Eastwood and Nathalie Emmanuel , for example — but pointedly did not mention Diesel. Keep scrolling to see everything Hobbs and Toretto have said about their feud over the years:

Credit: Larry Marano/Shutterstock

The Post That Started It All

"Some [male costars] conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don't," Johnson wrote via Instagram in August 2016, kicking off the public feud between the two stars. "The ones that don't are too chicken s—t to do anything about it anyway. Candy asses. When you watch this movie next April and it seems like I'm not acting in some of these scenes and my blood is legit boiling — you're right."

In a follow-up post, the Baywatch star said that conflict could be beneficial, but again didn't name names. “Family is gonna have differences of opinion and fundamental core beliefs,” he wrote. “To me, conflict can be a good thing, when it’s followed by great resolution. I was raised on healthy conflict and welcome it. And like any family, we get better from it.”

Credit: Jim Smeal/Shutterstock

Vin Responds

After filming for The Fate of the Furious wrapped in August 2016, Diesel posted a video about how happy he was to be home with his family after making two movies back-to-back. He also included a seeming nod to his drama with Johnson, saying, "Honestly, give me a second and I will tell you everything. Everything."

Credit: Shutterstock

Free Publicity

In a November 2016 interview with the Los Angeles Times , Johnson implied that the feud was at least partly free publicity for The Fate of the Furious . “I’ve been in the game a long time,” he said of the conflict. “Would Universal have preferred that didn’t happen? Sure, we talked about it. The irony is after that and as they do their tracking and all their analysis, the interest shot through the roof to a whole other level.”

Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock

Close Friends

Ahead of the Fate release, Diesel told USA Today that the costars were actually friends and the whole situation had been overblown by fans and critics. "I don’t think the world really realizes how close we are, in a weird way," he explained. "I think some things may be blown out of proportion. I don't think that was his intention. I know he appreciates how much I work this franchise. In my house, he’s Uncle Dwayne."

He also described himself as the punching bag for the franchise and claimed he was taking hits for the good of all the cast and crew. "I protect the franchise," he added. "I protect everybody including Dwayne. I protected Dwayne more than he’ll ever know. And it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have to know. But he appreciates it. He knows it. Dwayne has only got one Vin in his life. Dwayne Johnson only has one big brother in this film world and that’s me."

Credit: Felipe Dana/AP/Shutterstock

Family First

Both stars attended the Fate of the Furious premiere in April 2017. “We still love each other, that's my boy," Diesel told Entertainment Tonight . "When I was making that difficult decision, should there be an 8 or not, I called [Johnson] and he said, ‘Brother, I will be there shoulder to shoulder with you to make sure it's the best movie in history.’ And he delivered." Johnson, for his part, said their feud was the result of "differing philosophies."

Credit: Marion Curtis/Starpix/Shutterstock

Brotherhood

After Gibson accused Johnson of being the reason production on F9 was delayed, Diesel defended his costar via Instagram. "Brotherhood ... and all its complexities," he wrote in October 2017, alongside a photo of himself with Johnson in character. "I know there has been a lot of speculation as to why the Fast 9 release date was pushed ... but it would be unfair to say it is anyone's fault. As we plot the course to expand the Fast & Furious universe, one must be mindful to take stock of the roads we took to get here. The pillars of authenticity, family and most importantly, our loyal fans' perspective has been instrumental in procuring success. However, like any vehicle that has run around the globe 8 times, the franchise is in need of maintenance."

Credit: David Fisher/Shutterstock

Together, But Apart

As viewers of Fate of the Furious quickly noticed, the two actors did not appear together in any scenes. Asked about this fact for a 2018 Rolling Stone interview, Johnson replied, "That is correct. We were not in any scenes together."

A Heartfelt Thank You

Johnson seemingly let go of any remaining grudges after the success of Hobbs & Shaw . In an Instagram video shared in September 2019, he specifically thanked Diesel for his support of the spinoff. "Lastly, but not least, want to thank brother Vin for your support of Hobbs & Shaw ," he said. "I'll be seeing you soon, Toretto."

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

The Bloodshot star reignited conversation about the feud in June 2021, telling Men's Health that creating the Hobbs character required "tough love" on his part. "My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be,” he explained. “As a producer to say, ‘OK, we’re going to take Dwayne Johnson, who’s associated with wrestling, and we’re going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don’t know’ — Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks.”

He added that any of his potential critiques were in service of his role as a producer on the franchise. "That took a lot of work," he told the magazine. "We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Fellini-esque, but I would do anything I’d have to do in order to get performances in anything I’m producing.”

Credit: People Picture/Gerome Kochan/Shutterstock; Matt Baron/Shutterstock

Johnson revealed in July 2021 that he would not be returning to the franchise after he did not appear in 2021’s F9 . “I’ve wished them well,” he told The Hollywood Reporter at the time. “I wish them well on Fast 9 . And I wish them the best of luck on Fast 10 and Fast 11 and the rest of the Fast & Furious movies they do that will be without me.”

The Moana star also commented on Diesel’s “tough love” remarks, telling the outlet, “I laughed and I laughed hard.”

Some Regrets

In October 2021, Johnson told Vanity Fair that it wasn't his "best day" when he shared the original Instagram post that started it all. "I shouldn’t have shared that," he added. "Because at the end of the day, that goes against my DNA. I don’t share things like that. And I take care of that kind of bulls—t away from the public. They don’t need to know that. That’s why I say it wasn’t my best day.”

Though he regretted the initial post, the Jungle Cruise star said he wouldn't take back his message if given the chance. "I mean what I say when I say it," he shared. "But to express it publicly was not the right thing to do.” He also claimed that unnamed members of the Fate of the Furious crew "quietly thanked" him for speaking out about Diesel's behavior.

Credit: Netflix; Rob Latour/Shutterstock

Jokes Are Fair Game

“The jokes never end,” Johnson said during a November 2021 appearance on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show when asked about the jab at Diesel in his film Red Notice . “People were asking me about that, and they find a way. These Vin Diesel jokes — which play great, by the way, to the audience, which is always a good thing because it’s all about them — people think these jokes come from me and they actually don’t.”  

The former wrestler added: “You’d be surprised with how many people come to me with, ‘I’ve got a great one. I’ve got another great Vin Diesel joke.’ I’m sure you do. [They’re] always funny.”

Feeling Manipulated

After Diesel made a public plea in November 2021 for Johnson to reprise his role despite their differences, the Moana actor shut it down as a form of "manipulation."

"I didn't like that he brought up his children in the post, as well as Paul Walker's death. Leave them out of it," Johnson told CNN one month later. "We had spoken months ago about this and came to a clear understanding. My goal all along was to end my amazing journey with this incredible Fast & Furious franchise with gratitude and grace."

Johnson pointed out that he felt "surprised" by Diesel's approach since he has previously made his decision not to return to the franchise very clear.

"This past June, when Vin and I actually connected not over social media, I told him directly — and privately — that I would not be returning to the franchise," he noted. "I was firm yet cordial with my words and said that I would always be supportive of the cast and always root for the franchise to be successful, but that there was no chance I would return."

Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

A Shocking Return

Johnson surprised fans in May 2023 with a post-credits cameo in Fast X , hinting that his character, Hobbs, will be back for the franchise's final installments. "The peace treaty … I kind of [brokered it]. We all did. Ultimately, the movie did,” director Louis Leterrier told The Hollywood Reporter after the film's release. “We sort of looked at each other from across the room and winked a few months back, saying, ‘We should work together.’ And then I had this idea and I presented it to the producers and the studio. And then we reached out to Dwayne and his team, and said, ‘Just come and watch the movie. You have to love the movie first.’ So, he came to see the movie and really loved it, and then we started talking. It was very smooth." 

Diesel, for his part, said that he and his costars "lead with love" when asked about Johnson's return. "We have such a great cast," he told Entertainment Tonight after the Fast X premiere. "We try to create an environment where people can do their best work. That's all actors really want, is to feel as though they're supported to create unique characters. Characters that last forever, and you see that in this franchise."

Credit: Atilano Garcia/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

Hobbs Is Back — Officially!

The Jumanji star confirmed in June 2023 that he would be making a full return to the Fast and the Furious franchise as Luke Hobbs. 

“It has been so incredibly personally gratifying and satisfying and exciting to see your reaction around the world,” he gushed in an Instagram video. “First of all the secret of Hobbs being back … that was a secret that was impossible to keep. Despite us having our differences, me and Vin, we’ve been like brothers for years, and despite our differences, when you lead with — number one, resolve — but also you think about the future and plans that are much bigger than ourselves. Those bigger plans are the buildouts. They are the North Star.” 

Johnson added that his “North Star” has remained his “guiding light" throughout his career and in the fast of the Fast and the Furious, that North Star is “the franchise that we love,” the “characters that we love” and the “fans that we love.” 

Credit: Getty Images (3)

John Cena Weighs In

Cena, who joined the Fast & Furious family after Johnson’s departure, shared that he believed that the actors butted heads since they were so similar in personality. 

“You have two very alpha, driven people. You get two, there can only be one,” Cena said in an April 2024 of the “Armchair Expert” podcast. “[I] know the room and just kind of adapt to what's going on. I'm being invited into someone's home, into someone's family and regardless of how they look physically in comparison into another human being, this is one IP that is nine installments and it's an action movie. That's rarefied air.”

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Dwayne Johnson Will Not Publicly Endorse Anyone in 2024 Presidential Election: 'Between Me and the Ballot Box'

"I realize that [with] this level of influence, I keep my politics to myself," the actor said

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty

Dwayne Johnson is keeping his political opinions to himself.

In an interview with Fox & Friends that aired earlier this week, the actor, 51, said that he has no plans to publicly endorse anyone in the upcoming 2024 presidential election after previously endorsing President Joe Biden in 2020.

“Am I going to do that again, this year? That answer's no. I'm not going to do that,” Johnson said. "Because what I realized, what that caused back then, was something that tears me up in my guts back then and now, which is division. And that got me."

"The takeaway after that, after months and months and months, I started to realize, like, ‘Oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country.’ So I realize now going into this election, I'm not going to do that," he continued. "I wouldn't do that, because my goal is to bring our country together. I believe in that, in my DNA. So in the spirit of that, there's going to be no endorsement."

Added Johnson: "Not that I'm afraid of it at all, but it's just I realize that [with] this level of influence, I keep my politics to myself, and I think it's between me and the ballot box."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

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Biden, 81, and former President Donald Trump, 77, are their parties' presumptive nominees in the 2024 presidential race .

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Cornel West and Jill Stein , meanwhile, are running on third party tickets.

Some notable names who previously put their hat into the ring but have since dropped out from their bids for president include former Vice President Mike Pence , Ron DeSantis , Nikki Haley , Vivek Ramaswamy and Chris Christie , who all ran as Republicans, as well as Dean Phillips, who campaigned as a Democrat.

Marianne Williamson and Jason Palmer remain in the Democratic primary race, despite Biden securing the delegates needed to win.

Mike Coppola/Getty

Whoever wins the upcoming November election, Johnson told Fox & Friends that he will "100%" support the person chosen to be president.

"I do trust the American people," the Jumanji star said. "And I trust that whoever they vote for. That's going to be my president, and that's who I'm gonna support 100%."

As for his own political journey, which has been teased over the years , Johnson explained that he has no plans to pursue running for president anytime soon.

"As of now? No, that's not my intention. I'm not a politician, I'm not into politics. I care deeply about our country. I'm a patriot ... and right now, my desire and my priorities are my babies and school drop-offs and pickups and things like that. That's important to me," he said.

"In the spirit of bringing people together and bringing our country together, I don't know if that's the right move at this point," Johnson added. "Possibly. I don't know, as of now."

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Why did Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson return to the ring for WrestleMania 40?

Damian abraham and pablo, the don discuss how the wrestler-turned-actor’s return was received.

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After starring in movies like Jumanji, Moana and Hobbs & Shaw, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson returned to his wrestling roots this past weekend for WrestleMania 40.

Today on Commotion , wrestling fans Damian Abraham (of the band F--ked Up) and culture critic Pablo, The Don join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to discuss how The Rock's return was received and other highlights from the big anniversary celebration.

We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow the Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud podcast, on your favourite podcast player.

LISTEN | Today's episode on YouTube:

Elamin : Damian, the main headline leading up to WrestleMania 40 was that this is the return of The Rock, a.k.a. the return of Dwayne Johnson. How big of a deal is it to have The Rock back at this particular WrestleMania, do you think?

Damian : Oh, it's absolutely huge. You know, with all what you mentioned before — the TKO merger, the Vince McMahon sexual harassment lawsuit obviously being the most salient of all of them — there was a lot riding on this one. There were some real stakes to this one, and The Rock is the biggest card they could play. They threw everything. The Undertaker came back, John Cena came back. Paul Levesque [the retired wrestler better known as Triple H who now serves as head of creative for WWE] wanted to cement his era, and they hope that we are not talking about all the stuff that came before right now.

Elamin : In the lead up to [WrestleMania 40] there was this big heel turn from The Rock, which is basically what happens when you take a guy who everyone knows as a good guy, and you turn him bad. You have to land that convincingly in order for people to go, "Yes, I believe that I should be rooting against one of the most popular movie stars on the planet." So how believable was The Rock's turn as a villain to you, Pablo?

Pablo : I mean, for me, it was absolutely believable. I don't think people think about the things that he's been going through in the public so long … Black Adam was a failure, OK?

Elamin : Black Adam was a massive flop as a movie, yes.

Pablo : And he forced his way into it. The things that happened in Hawaii, with him asking people for money as he is the highest paid actor in the entire world — people were not receptive to that. I fully believe he came back with the intention to be a good guy, to rehab his image, but there was just a better good guy there and his name was Cody Rhodes. So the only thing you could do is make him Hollywood Rock again, which is so many people's childhood — that '03 era when he first goes off to do The Scorpion King .

Elamin : The Scorpion King ! I remember that, yes.

Pablo : And so he comes back, he's singing, he's got the cut-off Versace shirts and all that stuff. It was the only way to play this, and I think it was so convincing. I think it gives a new character to who Dwayne even is, because him just coming back as the good guy constantly was more in line with his image as the Teremana [tequila] CEO or ZOA [the Rock's line of energy drinks], but him coming back and being this bad guy while also doing Papatui [his skincare brand] and all this other stuff, it gives him a new wrinkle — and we haven't seen a new wrinkle with Dwayne since Ballers , pretty much. So people are seeing he's a bad guy on this show. He also may not be the best guy in real life too, but he's blurring the lines.

Elamin : He's leaning into it.

Damian : And last time he came back, he was booed when he was in the ring with Roman. Wrestling fans are really ready to boo The Rock, and The Rock is amazing at playing them like a fiddle and getting fans to boo when he wants them to boo. And I'm sure he could get everyone to cheer if he wanted.

Pablo : Absolutely.

Elamin : There's something about the fact that this is his first return. It's one thing to sort of be back in the ring and do the trash talk thing — everybody loves that. But he's back in the ring for the first time in eight years. This is the dude who's going to be 52 next month. Damian, how did he look in the ring?

Damian : Oh, he looked amazing. He can still go. It was a tag team match, so he was protected to a certain extent, but at the same time, he's amazing. But that's the thing about wrestling. If you look at wrestling all over the world, there are wrestlers that are able to wrestle well past any other sport would allow them to because there's smoke and mirrors involved. There's stuff that can be done. And that's not to diminish what The Rock did in the ring, because The Rock looked amazing and he's getting up at, what, 4 a.m. to work out every day? Like this guy is constantly ring-ready, right?

Pablo : Yeah, he looked great. He really did. I didn't expect him to look as good, I think, coming off of the last time he wrestled, where he tore his entire adductor muscle. I was worried; you are 52, yes. Also, he's jacked to the gods, but I noticed he dropped some muscle mass just to get back in the ring and be in ring shape. So I'm very excited that this was good.

You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts .

Panel produced by Ty Callender.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amelia Eqbal is a digital associate producer, writer and photographer for Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud and Q with Tom Power. Passionate about theatre, desserts, and all things pop culture, she can be found on Twitter @ameliaeqbal.

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Moana 2 New Image Revealed With Confirmation of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho Returning

Why does that island look like it has eyes, tentacles, and a giant mouth.

Alongside officially confirming that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Auli'i Cravalho will be returning for Moana 2, Disney has shared a new image of the much-anticipated sequel that is set to sail into theaters on November 27, 2024.

This first image was revealed on X/Twitter during Disney's 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and features an older Moana sailing with a confident look on her face. She is also holding an oar with Maui's fish hook and a heart engraved on it.

Perhaps most concerning, however, is the island behind her that very well may actually be a giant monster/shell creature with eyes, tentacles, and a giant mouth.

Moana 2 was announced back in February with a short teaser and Moana's newest adventure kicks off when she gets an "unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors."

"Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical Moana 2 takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers," the official description reads. "After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced. Directed by Dave Derrick Jr. with music by Grammy winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa’i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina, Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, 2024."

The original Moana was released in 2016 and, in our review, we said, "Storywise, Moana perhaps isn’t breaking new ground and it’s not making as much of a notable statement as Disney’s last animated film, Zootopia, but that doesn't stop it from being an easy recommendation. The film delivers the strong humor, well executed action, memorable music and lovable characters Disney has perfected in a delightful and lovely manner."

For more, check out other upcoming Disney and Pixar movies and the latest details on the live-action Moana film that will star Johnson but not Cravalho.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected] .

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on TikTok.

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Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Hands ‘Gift’ to Cody Rhodes, CM Punk Costs Drew McIntyre Again & More: WWE Raw 4/8 Results, Roundup & Highlights

T he first WWE RAW after WrestleMania XL came live from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Dealing with the fallout of the two days of Mania, all the winners were ready to give their promos. Cody Rhodes and Damian Priest were set to announce the next step in their careers. Drew McIntyre was set to vent his frustrations and much more. Here are the results of WWE RAW post-WrestleMania XL.

WWE RAW 08/04/2024 Results

In-ring segment: The WWE RAW episode opened with Triple H addressing the fans. The crowd erupted with “Thank you Hunter” chants. Hunter thanked the fans for the biggest WrestleMania show and introduced the new WWE Universal Champion, Cody Rhodes. Before leaving, Hunter left Rhodes with a video package detailing his journey to where he is today.

While Rhodes thanked the fans and Roman Reigns , Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson came out. Taking to the ring, he stared down Rhodes, but the Philly fans didn’t give him a chance to talk. Chants from “Rocky sucks” to “A**hole,” and much more. The Rock congratulated Rhodes for his Mania victory before laying down the foundation for their possible feud. Johnson said he would be leaving for a while, but they will have business to deal with when he comes back.

Ilja Dragunov vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Winner: Ilja Dragunov

The first match of the night saw Ilja Dragunov take on Nakamura. The current NXT Champion took on the former one. Both men exchanged blows to establish their dominance in the match, but Dragunov got the upper hand. Despite nailing the Kinshasa, Nakamura was only able to get a two-count. Dragunov hit the Torpedo Moskau for his first win on WWE RAW.

In-ring segment: Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio came out to the ring. They introduced the only title holders of the Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest. While the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion gloated over his victory, R-Truth came out with his RAW tag team title. While Judgment Day confronted him, The Miz came out. Unfortunately, this led to a tag team match.

Awesome Truth vs. Judgment Day

Winner: Awesome Truth

Unfortunately, this was supposed to be a six-man tag team match, but it was R-Truth and The Miz vs. Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, and JD McDonagh. While both Truth and Miz tried to keep up, the numbers game was against them. However, John Cena came out while the match looked to be in the Judgment Day’s bag. Getting the hot tag from Miz, Cena, Miz, and Truth cleaned the house with Cena’s iconic moves for the win.

Video Promo: Bronson Reed cut a promo after winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Backstage segment: Rhea Ripley got attacked backstage by Liv Morgan, who clearly wants her revenge.

Indi Hartwell vs. Roxanne Perez

Winner: Roxanne Perez

Making her debut on the main roster, Perez made quick work of Hartwell. While Hartwell tried her best, a Pop Rox and Perez got the pinfall win.

Backstage segment: Jey Uso and Sami Zayn congratulate each other for their wins at WrestleMania XL.

Backstage segment: Natalya confronts Perez for their match on NXT tomorrow.

In-ring segment: Sami Zayn came out to a standing ovation and chanted, “You deserve it,” by the fans. Zayn thanked the fans and credited Gunther for his incredible 666-day run as the Intercontinental Champion. Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser came out to confront Zayn but Chad Gable interfered to save Zayn.

Backstage segment: Gable and Zayn talk backstage, and Zayn gives Gable a title shot at his hometown next week on WWE RAW.

READ MORE: “Dusty Gave”: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s ‘Gift’ to Cody Rhodes on Raw After WrestleMania XL Allegedly Revealed Online

Chad Gable and Sami Zayn vs. Imperium

Winner: Sami Zayn and Chad Gable

The match that resulted from the confrontation started off with Gable and Vinci. Both teams looked strong, with Zayn and Gable showing great chemistry. Kaiser and Vinci tried their best to keep Zayn and Gable down but nothing could stop the Helluva Kick that ended Gunther’s reign. After Chaos Theory by Gable on Vince, team Zayn and Gable picked up the win.

Chelsea Green vs. Jade Cargill

Winner: Jade Cargill

The fastest match of the night featured Green facing Cargill, which she didn’t want to be part of. Green didn’t last long after a pump kick by Cargill for the victory.

In-ring segment: Drew McIntyre entered the ring to address his win and loss at Mania XL. He credited Seth Rollins for his hard work and blamed CM Punk for losing the title in 5 minutes. However, Jey Uso cut his promo short.

WWE World Heavyweight Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal-Four way match: Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Ricochet vs. Bronson Reed

Winner: Jey Uso

The match to see who would face Damian Priest for a chance at the title started with every man for themselves. The big ones took on the small ones, and vice versa. While everyone looked strong, McIntyre was sure to ensure no one but he won. The match was hard-hitting, with multiple styles in action. Despite having his ribs bandaged, Jey Uso put on an incredible performance. While McIntyre felt like he was about to win, CM Punk distracted him, and Jey Uso picked up the victory.

What did you think of the WWE RAW after WrestleMania XL? Tell us in the comments.

READ MORE: What Derogatory Chants Did Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Receive From Raw After WrestleMania XL Crowd?

The post Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Hands ‘Gift’ to Cody Rhodes, CM Punk Costs Drew McIntyre Again & More: WWE Raw 4/8 Results, Roundup & Highlights appeared first on EssentiallySports .

Screen Rant

Journey 3 updates: why the moon sequel isn't happening.

While the franchise was set to continue with Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon, the movie was canned. Here's why Journey 3 isn't happening.

• Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon was canceled due to difficulty in writing the script and Dwayne Johnson's busy schedule.
• The franchise struggled to find a solid script after the success of the second movie, but it may have been for the best considering the lack of fanbase.
• Dwayne Johnson's recent projects have stuck to the familiar tone of the Journey movies, offering audiences similar all-ages adventures.

While the franchise appeared to be riding high after the success of the second movie, Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon was ultimately canceled and Journey 3 is officially not happening, The series launched with 2008’s Journey To The Center Of The Earth , which was based on the famous novel by Jules Verne and starred Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson. Reviewers found the movie gimmicky due to its use of 3D but it was a solid hit for the studio. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island adapted another Jules Verne novel The Mysterious Island with Dwayne Johnson replacing Brendan Fraser as the main protagonist.

Journey 2 was an even bigger hit than the original, with reviews praising the inclusion of Johnson as the franchise's new leading man . Journey 3 was soon confirmed by the studio, which would adapt Verne’s From The Earth To The Moon , which was initially also going to be filmed alongside Journey 4 . During this era, Johnson made his debut in the Fast and Furious franchise as well as joining 2013's G.I. Joe: Retaliation , cementing his reputation as an actor who could turn around struggling franchises. However, his powers failed to work further on the Journey series as Journey 3 stalled and has since been canceled.

All 6 Movies Where Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Is In The Jungle

Journey 3 proved too hard to write, dwayne johnson's busy schedule also caused delays to the journey 2 sequel.

It appears Dwayne Johnson’s hectic workload and focus on other projects when Journey 3 & 4 were still being planned kept pushing them back. Almost nothing was heard about Journey 3 from 2015 to 2018 when Johnson confirmed Journey 3 was canceled because they couldn’t crack the script. This wasn’t much of a shock, considering it had been six years since Journey 2 by that point and there had been little sign of movement on the project. Following the gigantic success of Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, Johnson moved his attention to that family-friendly adventure franchise with a similar tone which has already become more successful.

In the same way The Mummy star Brendan Fraser was replaced by Dwayne Johnson, the studio could have brought on a new lead actor for Journey 3. However, further recasting would not help the franchise losing both Johnson and Fraser. While the first two movies were fun adventures, Journey wasn’t a franchise that had a burning fanbase either, so it’s easy to see how it fell between the cracks. Johnson’s admission they had trouble coming up with a solid script indicates it might be a good thing Journey 3 didn’t ultimately move ahead too.

Director Brad Peyton and Johnson reteamed again for 2018’s video game adaptation Rampage , and while San Andreas 2 was planned, that feels like another sequel that got lost in the shuffle of Dwayne Johnson’s franchise-heavy schedule. It’s disappointing Journey 3: From The Earth To The Moon didn’t come together, but audiences will have plenty of other Dwayne Johnson movies in the future to make up for it.

All 30 Dwayne Johnson Action Movies Ranked Worst To Best

The movies journey fans can see dwayne johnson in instead, johnson's recent projects have stuck to the familiar tone of the journey movies.

Sadly for Journey fans, the past few years have brought with them no signs that Journey 3 might be back on Dwayne Johnson's upcoming slate. Even with the lackluster performance of Black Adam in the DCU , The Rock has kept busy, with Jungle Cruise in particular honoring the spirit of the Journey franchise. Johnson also starred in Netflix's action/comedy Red Notice alongside Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot. He's also set to star in Jake Kasdan's holiday adventure film Red One alongside Chris Evans in 2024. These movies all capture that all-ages adventure that was achieved in the first Journey movies and that Johnson has stuck to in recent years.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson’s Franchises Ranked Worst To Best

The rock entered the dceu twice in 1 year, could johnson's failed move into the superhero genre help journey 3.

The multi-talented Dwayne Johnson also broke new ground in 2022 by making his debut in the superhero genre. Johnson actually joined the DCU twice over in the same year with both Black Adam and DC League of Super-Pets . He plays the titular villain/anti-hero in the former movie, and in the latter, he voices Superman's pet, Krypto the Superdog . The animated DC League of Super-Pets continued to deliver the family-friendly mix of humor and adventure Johnson has gravitated towards, particularly because Johnson was joined by one of his most consistent and hilarious co-stars, Kevin Hart, who voices Ace the Bat-Hound.

Black Adam , on the other hand, was a much darker film. Black Adam's DC Comics origin is a gruesome one, and the character mainly appears as an antagonist to Shazam and Superman, although Dwayne Johnson's film shifted that narrative somewhat focusing on Black Adam as a standalone character. This move into the DCU proved unsuccessful with Black Adam sequels already being nixed, the Superman cameo becoming awkward after Henry Cavill's recasting , and the box-office failure of Shazam!: Fury of the Gods . Perhaps this setback will cause Johnson to rethink Journey 3: From the Earth to the Moon .

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Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Says He’ll Make No Endorsement In 2024 Presidential Race

By Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson

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Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson said in an interview with Fox & Friends that he won’t make an endorsement in this year’s presidential race, after having thrown his support to Joe Biden in the last cycle.

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He suggested that the reason he would not endorse this cycle is because his decision to go public four years ago proved too polarizing. Donald Trump has long had close ties to WWE.

“Am I going to do that again this year? That answer is no. I’m not going to do that, because what I realized what that caused back then was something that tears me up in my guts, back than and now, which is division. And that got me. That takeaway, after that, months and months and months, I started to realize, like, ‘Oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country. So I realized now, going into this election, I’m not going to do that, because my goal is to bring our country together. I believe in that in my DNA, and so in the spirit of that, there’s going to be no endorsement at all. Not that I am afraid of it at all, but I realized that in this level of influence, I keep my politics to myself, and I think it is between me and the ballot box.”

Johnson also did not rule out a presidential run of his own at some point, but said that “right now my desire and my priorities are my babies, and school drop offs and pick ups and things like that.”

Johnson did weigh in on how he thinks are going in the country right now, telling Cain, “Am I happy with the state of America right now? Well, that answer is no. Do I believe that we are going to get better? I believe in that. I’m an optimistic guy, and I believe we can get better.”

Earlier this year, Taylor Swift was the subject of wild conspiracy theories that she would use her visibility at the Super Bowl to endorse Biden, whom she endorsed in 2020. Swift has promoted get out the vote efforts on Super Tuesday and a registration drive last year, but she has not said who she was backing in the current race.

When Cain asked Johnson what was important to him “no matter its popularity,” he said, “To be real…Authenticity. We hear that word a lot, but that is important to me. I feel like, but we could go down the well here. But in today’s easy cancel culture, and cancel culture, woke culture, this culture, that culture, division, ecetera. That really bugs me, and in the spirit of that … you either succumb and be what you think other people want you to be, or you go, ‘I am going to be myself. I am going to be real. … A real answer is important and a truthful answer is important.”

He added that “fame is a superpower when used correctly. I believe we can use it to influence people, but also to influence other people in terms of being direct and being honest.”

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‘Long Day’s Journey Into Night’ Review: Patricia Clarkson Illuminates an Uneven West End Production

By David Benedict

David Benedict

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No one, wisely, has turned “A Long Day’s Journey Into Night” into an opera — not least because, arguably, Eugene O’Neill’s most famous play already is one. It features extended solo arias mixing memory and pain, and, excluding the maid’s comedy high notes, the near-negligible plot operates as a vocal quartet. The job of the conductor — or, rather, the director — is to weave and build the sound to maximum dramatic effect. Led by Brian Cox (“ Succession ”) and Patricia Clarkson , Jeremy Herrin’s West End cast of soloists is definitely strong. Overall, however, his production doesn’t fully sustain the tricky balancing act.

Given the terrifying and delicious ease he deployed as vicious Logan Roy in “Succession,” Cox makes complete casting sense as tyrannical, self-serving James. At 77, he is a trifle old for the role, which latterly strains credulity when it comes to the physical relationship between him and his sons. But as his bravura final scene demonstrates, he is a commanding presence.

Descending, through drink and exhaustion, to the state that is the closest he ever gets to insight about his controlling, miserly failure with his family, Cox is in fine form in this scene. Furious at the truth-telling of his combative younger son Edmund (Laurie Kynaston) he allows us to see a man just about able — for brief moments only — to glimpse the truth of his own responsibility in the terrible family psychodrama.

But the slow-burn arc of the role isn’t quite within his grasp. His opening scene is pitched too high: The family is self-consciously acting happy now that matriarch Mary (Patricia Clarkson) is home and sober, but Cox’s overly-signaled brightness militates against audience engagement.

The consumption killing Kynaston’s nicely considered Edmund is, mercifully, underplayed. He gently indicates sadness without overstating it and in the final showdown with his father, his self-possession works in balance to his father’s chaos. But elsewhere, like most of the characters in this production except Louisa Harland’s beautifully judged, knowing maid, he seems too isolated, as if playing the end of the play from the beginning.

Neurasthenic, fluttering and fragile, Clarkson’s Mary positively glides through the day of the play with a sweetness that beautifully belies her pain within. Her level of denial is so absolute that she is able to maintain dignity throughout, no matter how upsettingly empty her illusions are.

Herrin knows about secrets and lies in dramas of addiction, having directed Duncan MacMillan’s scorching, award-winning “People, Places, Things.” Here, his pacing of Clarkson’s performance is the strongest line through this production. His handling of her final moments, ultimately placing her calmly sitting on the edge of the stage, is masterly.

Elsewhere, not all of his choices are helpful to so drawn-out a text. Lizzie Clachan’s self-consciously bald, wooden set over-emphasizes the lack of money that James gives to the running of a household. More of a statement than a helpful design, it leaves the creation of atmosphere to the actors and the lighting. Even a lighting designer as skilled as Jack Knowles struggles with the demand.

In a play that goes to some length to point out the intrusive sound of fog horns, it seems antithetical to have so noticeable an additional soundscape that loudly alerts the audience to approaching doom, or to the ethereal quality of Mary’s blissed-out-on-morphine state. This soundscape fires up some moments but flattens out the following scenes. The irony of this is that in so notoriously wordy a play, it’s absence and, crucially, silence which have proved so lethal in their lives.

The cumulative power of a still horribly recognizable journey through desperate, misplaced hope has ensured the longevity of O’Neill’s drama. Despite the unevenness of this production, Clarkson’s tender glow keeps it alive.

Wyndham’s Theatre, London; 780 seats; top £95 ($119), top premium £195 ($245). Opened, reviewed, Apr. 2, 2024; closing Jun 8. Running time: 3 HOURS, 30 MINS.

• Production: A Second Half Productions presentation of a play in two acts by Eugene O’Neill.
• Crew: Directed by Jeremy Herrin. Sets and costumes, Lizzie Clachan; lighting, Jack Knowles; music and sound, Tom Gibbons; movement, Polly Bennett, production stage manager, Laura Draper.
• Cast: Brian Cox, Patricia Clarkson, Laurie Kynaston, Daryl McCormack, Louisa Harland.

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