Dwayne Johnson Rumored for MCU’s Apocalypse in The Mutant Saga

There’s a new Marvel Movie rumor making the rounds, and if it turns out to be true, Dwayne Johnson could be heading back into the superhero world. After his time as Black Adam in the DCEU came to an abrupt end, the actor is now reportedly being eyed for one of Marvel’s biggest mutant villains, Apocalypse.

It’s an interesting bit of speculation, especially as Johnson is back on the big screen with Disney’s live-action Moana. But while the idea of him stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe will no doubt excite some fans, I can’t say I’m one of them.

Johnson spent years trying to build Black Adam into a cornerstone of the old DC Universe. The 2022 film introduced him as the ancient anti-hero Teth-Adam, and Johnson openly pushed for the character to become a major force in the franchise.

Those plans fell apart when James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios and rebooted the universe, leaving Black Adam without a future.

Now it looks like Marvel could have another comic book role in mind for him. According to scooper My Time to Shine Hello on X, "The Rock is up to play Apocalypse in the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

Marvel Studios hasn’t confirmed the report, so it should absolutely be treated as a rumor for now. That said, this isn’t the first time Johnson’s name has been connected to the character.

Reports surfaced last year claiming Marvel had been considering him while putting together its long-term plans for the X-Men.

Apocalypse, whose real name is En Sabah Nur, first appeared in X-Factor #5 back in 1986. Created by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice, he's one of Marvel's oldest and most powerful mutants.

He's best known for recruiting the Four Horsemen and living by a ruthless survival of the fittest philosophy. Oscar Isaac previously played the villain in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse, but an MCU version would almost certainly be a complete reinvention.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has already teased what's coming for mutants in the MCU. Speaking at the Disney APAC Content Showcase, he said: "I think you will see that continue in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize."

Feige also explained that the events of Avengers: Secret Wars will help launch Marvel's mutant era, saying it "really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men."

Those comments line up with previous reporting from The InSneider, which claimed Marvel plans to begin filming its X-Men reboot this year with a target release in 2027 following Avengers: Secret Wars.

The movie reportedly won't be another origin story, which opens the door for a villain like Apocalypse to already exist as a fully established threat.

As for Johnson potentially playing him... I'd honestly rather not see it happen. At this point, I don't really have any interest in seeing Johnson jump into another superhero franchise, whether it's Marvel or DC. He's spent years playing larger-than-life action heroes, and it feels like we've seen that version of him enough.

I'd much rather watch him continue taking character-driven projects that actually challenge him as an actor. Performances where he steps outside of his comfort zone have been far more interesting than watching him play another nearly unstoppable powerhouse.

There are plenty of actors who could bring something fresh to Apocalypse, while Johnson has the opportunity to surprise audiences by taking on roles that show a different side of his talent.

Of course, this is all just speculation at the moment. Marvel Studios hasn't announced any casting for Apocalypse, and Johnson's involvement remains nothing more than an unconfirmed rumor.

It'll be interesting to see how Marvel builds its mutant roster over the next few years, but for now, this one belongs firmly in the rumor category.