Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, just got a reality check from the box office.
His holiday blockbuster Red One, which promised a mix of Christmas cheer and action-packed spectacle, opened to a disappointing $34.1 million—against a jaw-dropping $250 million budget.
According to Variety, even Johnson’s star power wasn’t enough to save the film from being labeled one of the year’s biggest flops.
Big Budget, Bigger Disappointment
Starring The Rock and Chris Evans, Red One was supposed to be a festive box-office smash. Instead, it topped the North American box office but fell way short of the financial expectations for a movie of its scale.
Critics didn’t go easy on it either—earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 33%, though audiences gave it a surprising 90%. Maybe they just really like Christmas explosions?
Adding a layer of irony to the situation, The Rock recently shared his IMAX aspirations for Red One, saying, “Holy shit… Red One on this screen with this technology can be game over,” after experiencing Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Sadly, it seems like Red One didn’t quite measure up to those lofty expectations—at least not at the box office.
Amazon’s Long-Term Holiday Wish
Amazon MGM Studios, the force behind the film, is banking on Red One finding a second wind on Prime Video. The studio insists the movie could still pull through in the streaming world, but let’s be real: making back $250 million through holiday cheer might take more than just a Christmas miracle.
Whether you see it as a holiday hit or a yuletide yawn, one thing’s for sure—Santa might need to deliver The Rock a new PR strategy this year.
