The Rock Wants To Take Down The Expendables And Other Things Learned From His AMA

Who would have thought back in 2001 that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would not only defy the fate of most wrestlers turned actors, but he'd turn out to one of the biggest franchise players ever! The man who has been dubbed as "franchise Viagra" brought both the Fast And Furious and G.I. Joe franchises new life once he stepped into their ring. Paramount and MGM, knowing full well to strike while the iron is hot, are gambling on Johnson's star power with this weekend's Hercules, and as such it was as good a time as any for his rockiness to address his loyal legion of fans. Here now are five important facts we learned about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson during his insightful AMA.

Aiming For The Competition

The Rock Would Love To Kick Some Expendable Ass

One of the most popular posts of the day was an answer that Dwayne Johnson had given to a fan that tip toed around asking if he'd be interested in starring in an Expendables flick. However, there are only so many places your mind can go to when a fan is asking if you'd want to work with Sylvester Stallone and Terry Crews, so naturally Mr. Johnson caught on in a heartbeat. He was not only extremely upfront about his enthusiasm, but he even gave screenwriters a way to write him in by stating the following:

I don't want to be on their team and be buddies with them. Fuck that noise. I want to hunt every single one of them down and tell them to "send your soul to heaven cause your ass is mine."

If there was ever a case as to why The Expendables 4 should be greenlit immediately, The Rock's piss and vinegar response cements it into the ground. Of course, the box office returns on The Expendables 3 will have more than a hand in how that argument is decided, but if Sylvester Stallone is no longer interested and Pierce Brosnan is, you can begin to see how Dwayne Johnson hunting down Barney and his crew would make for a perfect hinge point towards a new trilogy of badass. Though, for the record, he'd keep Terry Crews alive as his de facto "pec popping contest" rival, and he also saved a spot for Rhonda Rousey as his "training partner."

Hercules Was His Most Demanding Role

While speaking towards the more promotional side of the AMA, Dwayne Johnson admitted that out of all of the roles he's taken on, Hercules was – in fact – the most demanding. He went on to describe that while he was prepared for all sorts of training that would put him in peak physical condition for the role, as well as help him handle things like swords and chariots, what he wasn't prepared for was a chain of injuries that made his job a hell of a lot harder.

...tore two tendons from my pelvis, which then ultimately led to my abdomen wall weakening which cause 3 hernia tears. So wrap all that up into a big ass ball of fun pain and you have the most challenging role Ive ever had. ;).

On top of all of the injuries he sustained, The Rock had to keep the shape he's in for the film for the entirety of the five month shoot. It can never be said that the man has no stamina or dedication to his craft, because he also admitted that if he ever had to do it again, he'd "do it twice." His only change the next time around? The presence of one of his legendary cheat meals once a week! (By the way, his favorite cheat meal consists of "pizza (double dough), pancakes and peanut butter brownies. And for good measure I throw in a diet coke!" Speaking of Hercules, a very special supporter of Johnson's stopped in to give him a hefty vote of confidence!

Action Pals Assemble

Dwayne Johnson Is Friends With Arnold Schwarzenegger

After being prompted to answer if Conan The Barbarian or Hercules would win in a fight, none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up in the thread. As if Dwayne Johnson weren't awesome enough on his own, he turns out to be good friends with the former governor of California/recently reinstated Terminator star who previously held the role of Hercules in 1969's Hercules In New York. Schwarzenegger not only sang the praises of his good friend Mr. Johnson, but he also pitched future collaboration between the two. Not to mention, he also slyly dropped a reference to the very classic character that had been previously referenced in conversation.

"I would love to do a movie with Dwayne - the Oak and the Rock - it couldn't be more perfect. Anyway, congratulations Dwayne. The movie looks fantastic and I can tell you know what's best in life. Let's get together soon and share sword stories."

Johnson responded with a very understated response of "Awesome, look forward to swappin' sword stories." So even if the Expendables option is taken off the table, we could end up with an awesome team up flick that puts these two together as a team, or even as a pair of rivals. Honestly, it could work either way. The point is, the intent is there, so now all that's needed is the scheduling and the internet reaction to spur the actual production process on. Anybody know if John McTiernan is busy at the moment?

Turtleneck And Chain

The Rock Believes In The Tactical Usage Of Turtlenecks And Humor

In one of the funnier, if not more outlandish, portions of the session, a fan asked Johnson about whether he thought the turtleneck had any possible tactical application or not. While a lot of people immediately started theorizing whether Dwayne would be a future guest star on Archer, considering the direct reference in the line of questioning, Johnson steered the conversation a different way. A way that required he use that moment to reference a photo of himself that went viral recently, as he responded:

The turtleneck can in fact work as a tactical garment, but you should also have a leather fanny pack on standby.

While not providing a lot of insight into any particular portion of the man's career, Dwayne Johnson did show how much he enjoys his fans and enjoys a good laugh at his own expense. Anyone who's visited his social media pages can see that he's either praising the powers that be for giving him his moment in the spotlight, or he's making his fans laugh with some embarrassingly hysterical photos of himself. This ability to laugh at himself has followed him throughout roles that required him to do everything from playing a gay Samoan bodyguard with a penchant for leisure suits and country music (like he did in Be Cool) all the way through roles like his villainous turn in Doom - a role in which his final words were, "I'm not supposed to die."

From Pack To Maniac

He REALLY Loves That Fanny Pack

Of course, if there's one thing that the man formerly known as The Rock has a fondness for referencing, it's the one thing he mentioned throughout the entirety of his AMA: his fanny pack. If you run through the entire length of his Q&A, he references the damned thing rather consistently. Most notably, while talking about how 7 Dollar Productions is supposedly putting together a "Rock One Man Show" for next year, he mentioned that the show would encompass the following.

Comedy, singing (w/ my Willie guitar of course), stories and anecdotes, audience interaction and how to rock a fanny pack without looking too much like a buff lesbian.

Some people just can't let the 90's go gracefully, though to be fair Dwayne Johnson should call The Lonely Island gang and see if it's not too late to shoot a video with them for Turtleneck And Chain. Surprisingly enough, the fanny pack got more love than DC Comics, as the questions pertaining to his rumored role as Shazam were limited to one instance that he did not address.

While Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's AMA was a lot of fun to read through, it wasn't particularly in depth. Keep in mind, this was the same day that Jeff Bridges conducted an AMA, and his was incredibly in depth and insightful into all things career and life related. Still, the fact remains that Johnson knows how to interact with his fans. He can joke around, as well as give solid training advice, and he's by no means a blowhard when it comes to his own career. For the past 13 years of activity, The Rock has earned his place in Hollywood, and he's done so with a talent for the business that eludes even those who spend their entire professional lives among its trappings. Hercules opens in theaters late tonight, and while it will more than likely get savaged by the critics, it looks like the type of damned fun movie Dwayne Johnson excels at.

Mike Reyes
Senior Movies Contributor

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.