Not even Dwayne Johnson could save this action flop

We have already published this article in a similar form for the TV broadcast on February 12, 2022.

“Franchise ViagraDwayne Johnson once called himself humble (via SNL). That may be true of Fast & Furious and maybe the upcoming Call of Duty series, but it’s not always true: Despite The Rock, GI Joe: The Reckoning went with bad reviews and mediocre The franchise had to be reorganized afterwards.

Even with Dwayne Johnson: TV action flop sinks an entire universe

The successor to the moderately successful GI Joe – Secret Mission Cobra actually had a lot of good assets: A story rejuvenation around the USA corrupted by meanies Cobra, Johnson with one of the best role names of his career (“Roadblock”), Bruce Willis as the godfather of elite warriors, and a fat budget of $130 million (via Box Office Mojo). But apparently that wasn’t enough.

Check out the trailer for GI Joe: The Reckoning here

Because when The Reckoning finally appeared, the reaction at the box office and critics was primarily one thing: mau. “Overwhelmed by non-stop action and too meaningless and mindless for a lasting impression“, the aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes reflects the 29% echo of the critics: inside consensus.

The audience’s willingness to pay apparently followed this assessment, because the action film only grossed around $ 375 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo). That may sound like a lot, but with a budget of 130 million, it only allows for a zero financial calculation at most. Especially since the second attempt at GIJoe was not just about achieving respectable success: the goal was to found the company a successful film series with a toy background, comparable to the heydays of the Transformers franchise.

Despite The Rock, the film fell so far short of that that it took eight years to get Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins a complete restart of the universe dared. But it also failed at the box office (via The Numbers). Maybe some franchises aren’t made for success. Despite Dwayne Johnson and all.

When is the action hit GI Joe: Reckoning on TV?

GI Joe: Reckoning’s on this Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 8:15 p.m. on Vox. If you don’t have time, you can catch up on the film on August 12 at 10:15 p.m.

Podcast about the Dwayne Johnson phenomenon: pain in the ass or sympathizer?

Dwayne Johnson is everywhere right now. He stars alongside Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds in Red Notice, the most expensive Netflix film to date. He also has his own series about his life with Young Rock, which can be seen in Germany on Sky. As usual, he presents himself cautiously as the presidential candidate of the future.

That’s why a Johnson fan and a Johnson critic discuss this extraordinary star. Is The Rock the most likeable man in Hollywood or a pain in the ass?

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How are you enjoying GI Joe: The Reckoning?