Tag: The Rock

The Rock Responds To The XFL’s $60 Million Loss In The First Season

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is focusing on the long-term amid reports that the XFL lost $60 million in its first season.

The former WWE Champion purchased the league in 2020 from Vince McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and hosted its first season from February to May this year.

It was reported by Forbes this month that the league lost $60 million in its first season which resulted in some layoffs being made.

Taking to Twitter, Johnson made it clear that he is optimistic about the league’s future.

https://twitter.com/TheRock/status/1668043939264475137

Officials who spoke to Forbes stated that the league has already been costed for the first four years of its existence.

Source: eWn

The Rock Has Reportedly Told WWE He Won’t Be Ready In Time For WrestleMania

There are high hopes for this year’s WrestleMania. Especially if Triple H can hold onto his creative role long enough to be the one in charge of booking it. Top of many people’s WrestleMania wish lists is The Rock returning to reclaim his position at the head of the Samoan Dynasty’s table, but anyone with that WrestleMania dream may have just had it dashed.

Just hours after WWE dropped new Rock merch, making many believe his comeback was imminent, Wrestling Observer Newsletter has reported a WrestleMania match for The People’s Champ is off the table. According to the new report, The Rock has spoken to WWE and informed them he will not be able to be in the right shape for a match in time to face Reigns at WrestleMania.

Despite apparently shooting down plans to compete at WrestleMania, a match that would have been The Rock’s first for seven years, the movie star reportedly signed off by saying he would be open to other plans in the future. What’s a little confusing about all of this, if it is indeed accurate of course, is the insinuation that these plans have been sprung on The Rock all of a sudden.

While nothing official has been confirmed by WWE in terms of a Rock return, the belief among fans that he and Reigns would clash at WrestleMania has been alive and well for a very long time. So much so that you’d have to think Rock and WWE have at least discussed a potential matchup when WrestleMania goes Hollywood a little over two months from now.

On the bright side, if The Rock really isn’t going to be a part of WWE’s WrestleMania plans, the company can now move forward with whatever plan B is. Just in time for the Royal Rumble. It’s implied in the report that Rock is out that WWE was likely pressing for an answer from The Great One, needing to know what its road to WrestleMania is going to look like before solidifying a couple of main eventers through its Royal Rumble matches eight days from now.

Source: TheSportster

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Demands Soured Warner Bros. Relationship

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson may be the People’s Champion, but those at Warner Bros. aren’t sharing the love.

Last year, Black Adam, a project Johnson had been tied to for over a decade, underperformed at the box office, earning $391 million from its $260 million budget.

Following the film’s release, Johnson unfollowed both the social media accounts for Black Adam and Warner Bros, and there were reports of conflict.

Variety reports that The Rock, along with Black Adam producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn, “ruffled feathers” after they “went around everyone” to pitch their plans for Black Adam and Henry Cavill’s Superman.

Things got worse between Johnson and Warner Bros as expenses on Black Adam’s production grew, including Johnson demanding a tequila bar featuring his brand, Teremana, be set up for the film’s premiere.

One source who spoke to Variety explained that “his demands increased and the returns just weren’t there.”

While a post-credits scene sets up a Black Adam sequel, many believe that Black Adam will not receive a follow-up.

Source: ewrestlingnews

The Rock’s Daughter Ava Raine Revealed As Mystery Schism Member On NXT

The masked wrestler who has been aiding The Schism is Ava Raine.

Someone in a yellow mask has been appearing on NXT recently, and then that mysterious figure helped The Schism attack Cameron Grimes. Clearly, whoever they are, they have been better swayed by the group’s message than Grimes ever was. Schism’s leader Joe Gacy promised a reveal after Halloween Havoc, and that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday.

All three members of Schism were joined in the ring by their mysterious masked fourth. The unnamed fourth member then removed their mask, revealing themselves to be Ava Raine. Raine cut a short promo covering her appreciation for the group’s acceptance before the other three members of Gacy’s stable embraced her in the middle of the ring.

If you’re unfamiliar with Raine, well, there’s a good reason for that. Tuesday night was the first time she has ever appeared on NXT TV. If you do know Raine, that’s probably because she has received a little bit more attention than most other Performance Center recruits. That’s due to the fact she is The Rock’s daughter. Her real name is Simone Johnson, and she’s a fourth-generation Superstar.

Not only is Raine following in the footsteps of her movie star dad, but she also follows her grandfather Rocky Johnson into the wrestling business, and her great-grandfather Peter Maivia before him. Not to mention the countless other members of the Samoan Dynasty that have wrestled in WWE and beyond, and continue to do so to this day.

Raine has previously appeared at NXT live events but hasn’t actually wrestled her first match yet, at least not in front of fans. It remains unclear what exactly WWE has planned for her on that front. Whether she will aid Schism in tormenting other Superstars, or she will compete in matches right away. If The Bloodline is still around when she is eventually called up, perhaps the plans for her to be its first female member are already tentatively in place.

Source: TheSportster

Details Released For The Rock And DSOTR’s New Vice TV Series – “Tales From The Territories”

The history of professional wrestling is about to have some light shined upon it.

According to Variety, Seven Bucks Productions, a company founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and producer Dany Garcia, will team up with the producers of “Dark Side Of The Ring” for a new documentary series on VICE called “Tales From The Territories,” putting a spotlight on the regional promotions that originally popularized pro wrestling in the United States. The series is scheduled to premiere on October 4, 2022, at 10 pm EST. The trailer can be seen below and features interview clips from Abdullah The Butcher and Bret Hart.

“In many ways, the wrestling world is a family, they have great moments, tough times, and everything in-between,” said Brian Gewirtz, vice president of creative development for Seven Bucks Productions and a former head writer for WWE. “There’s a rich history of untold stories which we can’t wait to bring to life.”

“Wrestling is embedded into Dwayne’s DNA and part of the brand ethos of our Seven Bucks Productions, so we are honored to showcase these sensational stories and to create a time-capsule of this legendary industry,” said Garcia. “Being able to honor and highlight the larger-than-life personas that jump-started the wrestling industry, through their first-hand accounts, is immensely special, and the type of storytelling we love to do here at Seven Bucks.”

Joining Seven Bucks as executive producers will be Jason Eisener and Evan Husney, the original creators of “Dark Side of The Ring,” which aired for three seasons on VICE.

“We’re incredibly excited to expand the ‘Dark Side of the Ring’ series with this first-ever exploration of the hidden past of wrestling’s Wild West era, with a dream collaborator in Dwayne Johnson, who has such deep family roots in the history of the business,” said Husney and Eisener. “We can’t wait to showcase the fascinating stories of the pioneers who set the stage for wrestling’s worldwide pop culture dominance.”

There’s been a lot of speculation recently regarding the future of “Dark Side Of The Ring,” as it had been reported that the series would be halted in place of something with a “softer tone,” and with access to WWE footage. The trailer, it should be noted, shows only photos and the signature reenactments that “Dark Side” has become well known for.  The show’s third season created significant controversy and shake-up behind the scenes of the wrestling industry when the “Plane Ride From Hell” episode caused problems for Ric Flair and Tommy Dreamer.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Rock’s Daughter, Ava Raine, Debuts Nickname In First WWE NXT Promo At NXT House Show

WWE NXT held another live event last night in Orlando, Florida, headlined by Bron Breakker successfully defending his NXT Championship against Tony D’Angelo. Elsewhere on the card, the leader of Toxic Attraction, Mandy Rose, defeated Ivy Nile to retain her NXT Women’s Title, and The Creed Brothers defeated Joe Gacy and a member of the DYAD to retain their Tag Team Titles.

But one of the biggest stories coming out of the show isn’t about the in-ring action at all. Fresh WWE NXT talent Ava Raine, the real-life daughter of The Rock that signed with WWE in February 2020, cut her first promo at last night’s event. She was presented as a heel to the audience as she talked down to Cora Jade and the rest of the NXT women’s locker room.

Raine also revealed what her nickname will be going forward and it’s possibly a nod to a recent horror film. Raine, a fan of cinema influenced by the supernatural, apparent by the many references to “The Craft” (1996) on her social media, was referring to herself as “The Final Girl” during her in-ring promo. The film, “The Final Girls” was a horror/comedy film released in 2015 that first debuted at the SXSW Film Festival before receiving a wider release in the United States later that Fall. The premise of the movie sees the protagonist, Max, along with her group of friends, getting trapped inside a B-horror film where they must use the tropes they’ve learned from watching horror movies to survive. There’s no certainty this film influenced the new description Raine is giving herself in NXT, but the connection is possible.

“The Final Girl” is also a common trope in horror cinema as a whole. She is recognized as the last girl or woman surviving in the film as the story becomes centrally focused on her.

As seen in the photos below, Raine was trending after she dropped the promo last night, signifying that we might be approaching a televised debut for the 20-year-old. She has been teasing her debut for several weeks until last night when she finally revealed her persona to a live crowd.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

“Young Rock” To Start Opposing WWE SmackDown In The Fall

The NBC schedule has been confirmed for the Fall of 2022, which has revealed that the third season of Young Rock is set to go up against WWE SmackDown.

It was recently announced that the popular show had been picked up for another season, which will see the life, and career of The Rock continue to be told. The next set of episodes are set to begin airing in November (no exact date has been confirmed), and it has been moved to Friday nights.

The official press release for this section of the NBC’s schedule reads as follows:

“In November, the laughs begin with George Lopez’s family comedy “Lopez vs. Lopez” at 8 p.m., teeing up the third season of Dwayne Johnson’s bio-series “Young Rock” at 8:30 p.m.”

Previously Young Rock had been airing on Tuesday, but it will now go head to head against WWE SmackDown. The blue brand takes place from 8pm – 10pm (EST), and NBC’s show is set to drop from 8:30pm – 9pm. This means fans will have some conflict, as Young Rock has proven to be a hit with the wrestling audience.

The Rock himself will continue to star in the show alongside Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Ana Tuisila, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu, Fasitua Amosa, John Tui and Matthew Willig.

The WWE legend has not commented on the renewal as of this writing. But, Seven Bucks Vice President and former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz took to Twitter and shared his thoughts.

“We’re BACK baby! Can’t wait to dive into Season 3 of #YoungRock! This is shaping up to be a helluva week!,” Gewirtz wrote.

It is currently unknown what the exact focal points will be when it comes to the third season. But, season two did see plenty of wrestling references with the likes of Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Triple H, The Iron Sheik, and even a young Roman Reigns being cast.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

NBC Renews “Young Rock” For A Third Season

NBC has ordered a third season of “Young Rock” from WWE Legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his Seven Bucks Productions company.

The second season of “Young Rock” is currently airing on NBC Tuesday nights, and is available on Peacock the following day. NBC announced today that the show is being renewed for a third season, while “American Auto” and “Grand Crew” are being renewed for their second seasons.

NBC touted in today’s press release how “Young Rock” is the network’s #1 primetime comedy in the 18-49 key demographic.

Season one of “Young Rock” averaged 3.036 million viewers with a 0.62 key demo rating per episode, over 11 episodes. Season two has averaged 2.150 million viewers with a 0.40 key demo rating so far, across the 9 episodes that have aired as of this week.

The Rock has not commented on the renewal as of this writing, but Seven Bucks Vice President and former WWE head writer Brian Gewirtz took to Twitter and reacted to the NBC announcement.

“We’re BACK baby! Can’t wait to dive into Season 3 of #YoungRock! This is shaping up to be a helluva week!,” Gewirtz wrote.

The Rock stars in the show alongside Joseph Lee Anderson, Stacey Leilua, Ana Tuisila, Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, Uli Latukefu, Fasitua Amosa, John Tui and Matthew Willig.

The show was created by Nahnatchka Khan and Jeff Chiang and inspired by Rock’s life. Rock, Khan, Chiang, Gewirtz, Dany Garcia, Jennifer Carreras, and Hiram Garcia serve as Executive Producers, while the show is produced by Seven Bucks, Universal Television, and Fierce Baby Productions.

https://twitter.com/bfg728/status/1524870816386670592
https://twitter.com/nbc/status/1524867066716487680

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Rock Might Have To Change New XFL Logo After Being Served Legal Notice

The Rock’s XFL has been hit with a legal notice following the unveiling of its new logo.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has apparently encountered a bit of difficulty following the unveiling of the XFL’s new logo.

The football league is set to return under new management, with next year being looked at for a re-launch. And it is expected to be successful this time around given that the former WWE superstar is now the owner, having purchased it along with his ex-wife Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital in 2020.

There might be a hitch, though, with media and commerce company TOGETHXR having served the league with a legal notice over branding concerns, the main one being the X in a recently unveiled graphic being split with the word “Together” in between. TOGETHXR claims to already be using similar branding and appears to have a legitimate gripe.

TOGETHXR’s website says it’s an “unapologetic platform where representation and equality is the norm,” that intends to “shatter the often narrow depictions of women in the media with content featuring a diverse and inclusive community of game-changers, culture-shapers, thought leaders, and barrier breakers.”

The company, formed by some of the top American female athletes, including Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Chloe Kim and Simone Manuel, revealed having taken issue with the XFL’s graphic, as well as sending a legal notice to the football league.

“Too often the work and creativity of women is overlooked and undervalued,” they said in an Instagram post. “Diversity and equality are the norm around here. We’re thrilled to see the XFL embrace inclusivity but this rebrand ain’t it.

“We’ve issued a legal notice and will continue to protect the important work we’re doing.”

Source: TheSportster

The Rock Teases WWE Return On Social Media

It appears The Rock plans to follow his Super Bowl LVI opener up with another electrifying promo.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson appears to have teased a return to WWE via a social media post.

The wrestling legend turned Hollywood star has some history with football and, though he never made it to the NFL, got last weekend’s Super Bowl LVI off to an electrifying start as he cut quite the promo to usher the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals out to the pitch.

Johnson’s promo included a few signature catchphrases, such as his “finally!” and “millions… and millions” of fans around the world bits. The latter would typically include a pause for the audience to respond – that pause wasn’t observed on Sunday, however.

Folks took notice of the absence and, after it was pointed out on social media, The Rock responded with claims that the pause is coming soon. Of course, WrestleMania 38 is around the corner, leading speculation The Great One could be part of the show.

https://twitter.com/TheRock/status/1493362359515054086

The Rock is just one of a few big names thought to be candidates for a WrestleMania appearance this year. The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer has noted that the actor will be pretty busy during the Show of Shows, but whatever happens on that front remains to be seen.

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Cody Rhodes are also rumored to be set for comebacks. It’s been reported that WWE is keen on having Austin present, as well as another legendary name on his level, while Kevin Owens is rumored to be the one he will face after K.O. cut a promo talking down Texas on Monday night.

Rhodes, meanwhile, parted ways with AEW this week and reports suggest Vince McMahon wants him back. The WWE chairman is also said to be intent on giving Rhodes a major push right away, which should include a WrestleMania match.

Source: TheSportster