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Known for his larger-than-life roles and box office dominance, Dwayne Johnson is likely headed toward another cinematic misstep with his upcoming Christmas action-comedyRed One. Starring The Rock alongside Chris Evans, the film promises a festive adventure as an E.L.F. operative and a bounty hunter join forces to find Santa Claus and save Christmas.
Despite its unique premise and star-studded cast, early reviews and box office projections suggest that Johnson’s latest action comedy might struggle to jingle the box office bells or impress critics.
CouldRed Onebe Another Setback For Dwayne Johnson?
Dwayne Johnsonis taking on the role of Callum Drift, the head of North Pole security for Santa Claus, in his latest holiday action-comedy, Red One. The film follows him teaming up with a tracker and bounty hunter, Jack O’Malley, to rescue the kidnapped Santa Claus and save Christmas.
However, as the movie gears up for its theatrical release this week, it doesn’t seem too promising for the action star, especially considering the box office projections for the movie and Johnson’s recent streak of underwhelming performances. Reports suggest the film is aiming for an opening weekend box office collection of $30 to $35 million.
Independent tracking services have estimated a range between $25 and $40 million, according toVariety. While these numbers might seem decent on the surface, they are cause for concern when weighed against the film’s reported $250 million budget.
And though Johnson has constantly delivered box office hits like theJumanjifilm series andFast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, his latest venture comes at a precarious time in his career, where he has not headlined a major hit since 2019.
His streak of underperformance began with 2021’sJungle Cruise,whichearned$220 million during its simultaneous theatrical and digital release. The cold streak continued with filmslikeDC League of Super-Pets($207 million) andBlack Adam.
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Black Adamwas particularly disheartening for the actor, as the long-awaited film generated mixed reports about its profitability. Despitegrossing$393 million globally, itfell short of expectationsafter years of buildup and substantial investment.
Such a streak, along withthe behind-the-scenes reports, multiple delays, and a budget extending $200 million has only raised doubts about whether Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson can reignite his box office appeal.
Red OneReceives Disappointing Reviews And Critic Score
Along with the underwhelming box office projections, the Dwayne Johnson andChris Evansstarrer,Red Oneis alsofacing lukewarm critical receptionahead of its theatrical release. The film currently holds a 33% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and aMetacriticscore of 36/100, with mostly unfavorable reviews.
Critics have largely panned the film, describing it as a totally uneven and uninspired holiday action-comedy that fails to deliver the festive cheer.“[Red One] is a little self-aware about its own inherent silliness. But not nearly enough,”Jake Coyle of Associate Press said as perRotten Tomatoes.
While some appreciated the odd-couple dynamic between The Rock and Chris Evans, the film’s incoherent plot, over-reliance on CGI, and lack of genuine charm have drawn significant criticism.
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Eddie Harrison from film-authority.com described it as“…two hours plus of CGI slop, which plays like 1985’s Santa Claus the Movie reimagined as a stale heist movie with goblins… a garish, ghastly movie that will bore kids and depress adults…”
As early reviews paint an unfavorable picture, the film’s reception among audiences remains uncertain. WhetherRed Onecan overcome its shaky start to find box office success or become another disappointment for Johnson remains to be seen.
Red Oneis set to release on June 26, 2025.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3448
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
