With Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson officially returning to the WWE, his latest run with the company reveals a lot about his movie star formula. While The Rock had a couple of wrestling appearances over the last year – largely due to the SAG-AFTRA strike – his return on February 2, 2024, marked the start of a short-term run with the WWE. Since early February, The Rock has regularly shown up to WWE shows and events, putting together one of the most memorable runs of his Hall of Fame-worthy career, which highlights how good the People’s Champ has been lately.

Despite the initial controversy regarding his WWE role, Johnson has turned critics around and made his time with the company just as memorable as it was during the 90s and early 2000s. While the buzz around The Rock being back in the WWE is great for the actor, it indicates some of the issues with his movie presence. His charismatic personality makes him a great fit for Hollywood, but this hasn’t always been reflected in his films. There are still plenty of upcoming Dwayne Johnson projects worth getting excited about, but it will be hard to top his WWE run.

The Rock’s 2024 WWE Return Is More Exciting Than His Recent Movies

The Rock’s WWE Return Has Been One Of His Most Exciting Projects In Years

The Rock’s recent movies have found mixed success, but none of them are as exciting as his 2024 WWE return. Dwayne Johnson’s return as Hobbs in Fast X was brief and indicated that the actor would default back to the tried and tested action formula. With Johnson also set to return to Moana in the live-action remake, his future movies aren’t offering much different to his recent releases. The likes of Black Adam, DC League of Super-Pets, and Red Notice had varying degrees of success, but none of them compared to the buzz around his wrestling comeback.

Johnson’s return was initially criticized by wrestling fans for stealing the spotlight from Cody Rhodes. However, he managed to embrace the reception by playing a villain, which led to an electrifying response. Not only has he been great in front of a live crowd, but The Rock has used social media to cut long, hilarious promos. It is genuinely some of the best work in his career, with fans loving his current character. Given his latest films have felt a little flat, the charismatic and energetic nature of Johnson’s wrestling work thrives far more than his recent cinematic career.

There is no denying Johnson can still be a part of great movies and put in top performances, but the last few years have failed to offer anything truly unique. Outside A24’s The Smashing Machine, The Rock’s next cinematic projects seem to be following the same formula. This makes his WWE run all the more refreshing, as it is not only nostalgic, but Johnson has brought real quality to his wrestling persona and earned the audience’s respect. He still has that same charm that fans can’t help but love, even when he is trash-talking the crowd or their favorite wrestlers.

WWE’s The Rock Has 2 Major Advantages Over Movie Star Dwayne Johnson

The Rock’s WWE Persona Has Some Key Advantages Over His Movie Presence

While Dwayne Johnson has plenty of strengths that make him a major movie star, WWE’s The Rock has two key advantages. The Rock’s biggest advantage is there is simply more edge to the character than Johnson’s movie roles. His depiction of Black Adam portrayed more of an anti-hero, and while some comics do explore this version of the character, he is more frequently a villain. Johnson didn’t get to fully display this side of Black Adam, whereas, in the WWE, his character is a lot less watered down and mixes his corporate side with Hollywood Rock.

His wrestling persona comes across as arrogant and detestable, yet still authentic. It is the sort of heel that fans can truly invest in and love to boo. Another advantage of The Rock’s wrestling persona is nostalgia. Even though he is a villain on-screen, some fans can’t help but cheer when they hear his music. Johnson’s reputation and incredible service to the wrestling industry is appreciated by long-term fans and will always have a deeper connection than his movie characters. He has had some memorable cinematic performances, but they will struggle to ever match the legacy of WWE’s The Rock.

How Long Will The Rock Be With WWE This Time Around?

Dwayne Johnson Has WrestleMania Commitments With The WWE

Some of The Rock’s recent appearances have been one-off cameos, but this time around he has been back for a full stint with the company. It may still be short in the grand scheme of things, but a few months of The Rock in the wrestling business is better than a single appearance. While nothing is confirmed past his WrestleMania match, Johnson will be with the WWE until at least April 6, 2024. He was confirmed to be part of a tag team match at WrestleMania 40, Night 1, and could also feature in Night 2 on April 7.

The Rock has several movie projects in the works, meaning he will likely be back to Hollywood after WrestleMania 40. However, he is on the board of TKO, which owns WWE, suggesting he could continue to have frequent WWE cameos. More significantly, the current story involving The Rock and his cousin Roman Reigns indicates they could be heading towards a future match. The most likely scenario for this to take place would be WrestleMania 41, meaning Johnson could return for another run next year. The Rock may not be back full-time, but more appearances throughout 2024 do seem possible.