The world of professional wrestling has been a launching pad for many of Hollywood’s top film actors — including Jesse Ventura, Hulk Hogan and Randy “I’ll Go to the Papers” Orton — but only two have achieved true mainstream superstardom: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Mike “The Miz” Mizanin. 

The question that celebrity-watchers everywhere are asking is: which of them is the biggest box-office sensation? 

We broke down the data, and what we learned may surprise you:

  • Although the “Fast & Furious” franchise (co-starring Johnson) does big numbers at the box office, the huge budgets of the films mean that none of them has actually been profitable. The Rock performs in these films on an unpaid volunteer basis, and often chips-in financially to help the projects get made.
  • While the films of the “Marine” series have not broken any box office records, they have drawn universal critical acclaim, and The Miz is the most popular movie star in France, Uzbekistan and Paraguay. 
  • Whereas The Rock has appeared in more films, The Miz is more selective about the scripts he accepts. The Miz actually turned down the roles of both Hobbs and Shaw in order to appear in an experimental art-house short film called Ennui N’est Pas Awesome. 
  • The Rock has won numerous Teen Choice Awards for his acting work. The Miz has won two Tonys and been nominated for Oscars in the categories of Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Sound Editing (for his work on A Quiet Place). 
  • According to Hollywood Insider, The Rock typically earns “high five figures” for his film roles, whereas The Miz was reportedly paid $103,000 in royalties for his performance in The Marine 9: Kyoto Drift. 

Clearly, The Miz is the bigger leading man, and his rags-to-riches tale will be told on the new NBC sitcom Young Miz. But The Rock’s movie career may get a big boost this fall when he co-stars alongside The Miz in The Marine and The Tooth Fairy Go to Camp, directed by Werner Herzog. 

Leave a Comment