Dwayne Johnson could be trading Black Adam’s lightning bolt for celestial armor. The former DC star is now rumored to be in talks for a major Marvel role, just as his live-action Moana hits cinemas.

Dwayne Johnson may not be done with superhero roles after Black Adam

Johnson’s tenure as Black Adam ended abruptly when DC Studios reset its universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran. The 2022 film, which introduced Johnson as the ancient anti-hero Teth-Adam, failed to launch the franchise he had publicly championed. Now, new rumors suggest Marvel Studios sees a different path for the actor.

According to scooper My Time to Shine Hello on X, “The Rock is up to play Apocalypse in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” Marvel Studios has not confirmed the reports. However, last year, Johnson was reportedly being considered for the part as the studio mapped out its X-Men plans.

Apocalypse, also known as En Sabah Nur, first appeared in X-Factor #5 in 1986. Created by writer Louise Simonson and artist Jackson Guice, he stands as one of the oldest and most powerful mutants in Marvel lore. The character is best known for assembling his Four Horsemen and pursuing a brutal philosophy of survival of the fittest. Oscar Isaac previously played the villain in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse. A future MCU version would be a complete reinvention of the character.

Kevin Feige has addressed the mutant question at the Disney APAC Content Showcase. “I think you will see that continue in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize,” he said. Feige added that the Secret Wars storyline “really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men.”

Furthermore, previous reports from The InSneider indicated Marvel planned to begin filming the X-Men reboot this year, targeting a 2027 release after Avengers: Secret Wars. The film is not expected to be an origin story, meaning Apocalypse could be fully formed as an established threat.

For now, the rumour remains unconfirmed.