Forget Heroes, I Know Exactly Which X-Men Villain The Rock Should Play In The MCU

Summary

• Dwayne Johnson could soon join the MCU, since his production company has signed a new first-look deal with Disney.
• I think Dwayne Johnson would be perfect to play the MCU’s new iteration of Apocalypse in the franchise’s upcoming
  X-Men
  stories.
• After
  Black Adam
  , Dwayne Johnson needs superhero redemption, and this could come in the form of him portraying an outright villain instead.

Following his recent news, I know which powerful MCU villain Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would be perfect for in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men reboot. Since rising to prominence in the 1990s and 2000s, Dwayne Johnson has become a staple of high-octane action flicks, comedies, and musicals. The musclebound actor has the perfect physique to portray any number of iconic superpowered characters from Marvel Comics, but he hasn’t yet made his debut in the MCU. I reckon this will soon change, however.

Dwayne Johnson made his superhero debut in the DC Extended Universe as Teth-Adam in Shazam! and Black Adam. Unfortunately, this role didn’t have the impact Johnson expected, as he had suggested Black Adam could change the hierarchy of the DCEU, but it simply fell flat on its face. Even so, it would be a shame for Johnson’s superhero career to end here, and major new production news suggests it won’t. Somewhat surprisingly, Dwayne Johnson could soon join the MCU, and I’ve worked out which X-Men role he’d be great for, and it isn’t another hero.

Dwayne Johnson’s Casting In The MCU May Be More Likely Than Ever

Dwayne Johnson’s Production Company Has Signed A New Deal With Disney

In June 2024, Variety reported that Seven Bucks Production, the company founded by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia in 2012, has signed a new deal with The Walt Disney Company to develop exclusive movies and TV shows, which would likely star Johnson himself. Seven Bucks has already produced several Johnson-led projects, including his DCEU projects. Disney’s new deal with Seven Bucks makes Johnson’s casting in the MCU more likely than ever before, and a role in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men stories would make the most sense.

Seven Bucks’ first-look deal with Disney is a multi-year endeavor, giving Seven Bucks the chance to “collaborate across all Disney divisions.” To me, this seems as though Variety is preparing us for Johnson’s inevitable casting in the MCU, though Marvel Studios hasn’t yet commented on the matter. With his muscular appearance and proven experience across a variety of genres, Johnson is the perfect candidate for an MCU role, and while some may imagine him as a striking hero such as Hyperion, Beta Ray Bill, or Blue Marvel, I think he’s better suited for a villainous role.

I Actually Think Dwayne Johnson Would Be Great As Apocalypse In The MCU

Dwayne Johnson Would Be A More Intimidating Apocalypse Than Oscar Isaac

Johnson’s Apocalypse would present a far greater threat to the X-Men, which I would love to see in the MCU.

Oscar Isaac’s previous interpretation of Apocalypse in Fox’s X-Men: Apocalypse was divisive and far from faithful to the Marvel Comics source material, though, personally, I still enjoyed it. Marvel Studios will likely work harder to deliver a more comic-accurate version of Apocalypse, however, and I think Dwayne Johnson would fit this brief to a tee. Apocalypse is one of the X-Men team’s most significant and longest-running antagonists, so Johnson debuting as this villain would enable him to persist in the MCU for years to come, fulfilling his new deal with Disney.

In Marvel Comics, Apocalypse, originally known as En Sabah Nur (“The First One”), is an immortal mutant with biomorphic abilities, allowing him to change and adapt his body at a molecular level. He saw further enhancements after acquiring Celestial armor, and has since learned to generate almost any mutant ability at will. Apocalypse has a looming and intimidating physique, which would make Johnson a much better fit for the villain than the comparatively-small Oscar Isaac. Johnson’s Apocalypse would present a far greater threat to the X-Men, which I would love to see in the MCU.

Dwayne Johnson Deserves A Second Chance In A Superhero Franchise, But Needs To Learn His Lesson

Black Adam Was A Massive Failure For DC & Dwayne Johnson

Prior to Black Adam’s release in October 2022, Dwayne Johnson claimed that the movie would spearhead a new era for the DCEU, marking the beginning of a new “Phase One”, and building stronger connections to other characters in the franchise, such as Henry Cavill’s Superman. Johnson’s unfounded claims were put to rest after James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, and following Black Adam’s disappointing return at the box office. While I think it would be great to see Johnson in the MCU, I don’t want him to repeat these claims.

The DCEU was faltering long before Johnson debuted as Teth-Adam, so I understand why he wanted to establish a new status quo. Unfortunately, these claims made him seem a little egotistical, and putting Black Adam on a pedestal made its failure all the more spectacular. Marvel Studios has worked tirelessly since 2008 to develop a stable superhero franchise, and this is only becoming stronger with the introduction of mutants in X-Men. Dwayne Johnson deserves redemption after Black Adam, and Apocalypse could provide this, but he needn’t put himself in a position of ultimate power again.