The Rock's 10 Biggest WWE "What Ifs"
2. Going Hollywood
Firstly: there’d be no Fast And Furious 6, let alone nine editions of the cars and explosions franchise. Dwayne Johnson didn't single handedly revive the franchise, but he’s responsible for a large portion of its overwhelming success, and has been rewarded with a spinoff for his troubles.
More to the point, it’s highly unlikely that the gates would have been opened for so many superstars to transition to an acting career. Some had tried before, like Hulk Hogan, but they’d met with mixed results, to be polite.
Johnson turned the perception of the wrestler-turned-actor on its head. Never a man for half measures, he is currently one of the most profitable movie stars in the world. Directly due to him, it has become far easier for WWE stars to break Hollywood. Some are setting the world alight (Cena, Batista); some chug along nicely (The Miz, Edge); others choose slightly more niche products (Christian film enthusiast Shawn Michaels).
Like in wrestling, The Rock’s movie stardom didn’t come overnight, but he plugged away at it, and now sits at the top of the action movie heap. Those following his lead owe him a debt of thanks.