The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a powerful force in the entertainment industry, spanning both theatrical projects and TV shows that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. There are countless rumors about what might be going down in upcoming Marvel movies, including the long-awaited entrance of the X-Men. And after it was rumored that Dwayne Johnson might be in the running to play the villain Apocalypse, fan art imagines what the wrestler turned actor could look like in that role.
Moviegoers who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that mutants have been noticeably missing. But once Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, the door opened for them to join the shared universe. Exactly how Kevin Feige and company are handling them remains a mystery, which is why there's so much discourse and chatter about what might happen online. Fan art on Instagram showed what The Rock might look like as Apocalypse, check it out below:
Honestly, sign me up. The Rock is ripped, and brings a hulking physicality to any role that he plays. And as such, he could really pull off playing Apocalypse in live-action. But we'll have to see if these rumors actually end up having any truth to them.
The above image comes to us from the Instagram account Mike Posters, where an artist creates new posters for old projects, and sometime brings casting rumors to life. Johnson look oustanding as Apocalypse, and would no doubt be badass in battle with the X-Men.
Comic book fans will recognize that Dwayne Johnson's look in this fan art is actually the costume and make-up that Oscar Isaac wore as in X-Men: Apocalypse. While it looked cool on screen, the costume was super bulky and cumbersome to wear for the actor. So if The Rock actually ends up playing this iconic Marvel villain, smart money says the studio will find another way to bring him to life.
Of course, there's no guarantee that Apocalypse is actually coming, let alone played by Johnson. Marvel security is notoriously tight, with Kevin Feige and company keeping their cards close to the chest. But with Deadpool & Wolverine bringing its title characters to the MCU (as well as various other characters from the X-Men franchise), it definitely feels like mutants are finally going to get their moment in the sun. After all, the X-Men have been teased throughout Ms. Marvel's finale as well as The Marvels' credits scene. Add in the wild success of the animated series X-Men '97, and it's safe to say that the fandom is invested in mutants.
Since Black Adam isn't being used in the new DCU, Dwayne Johnson's schedule would presumably be open enough to allow him to join the MCU. Whether or not this happens remains to be seen, but he definitely seems like a killer choice if the studio is bringing Apocalypse in as an antagonist to the X-Men.
Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26th. While we wait, check out the 2024 movie release dates.
