How did Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson respond to his box office decline?

American star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has announced that he is going through a difficult phase in his career, after being Hollywood's number one box office star for many years. This comes after his recent projects disappointed expectations, both commercially and critically, leading some to wonder if his absolute stardom was beginning to wane.

Dwayne Johnson's latest film, "The Smashing Machine," which was considered a major turning point in his acting career, was not as successful as expected, despite critical acclaim for his performance. Directed by Benny Safdie, the film tells the story of mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, and Johnson delivers a dramatic performance that differs from his usual roles.

Despite widespread praise from prominent figures like director Christopher Nolan, who described his performance as "amazing," the film's box office performance was disappointing, with the film grossing just $10 million at the domestic box office against a production budget of $50 million.

In this context, The Rock commented on the results via his X account, saying: "You can't control the box office revenue, but you can control your performance and your complete commitment to the role. This film changed my life, and it was an honor to work with Benny Safdie."

Johnson has added himself to a string of disappointments for the global star in recent years, starting with Black Adam, which failed to revitalize the DC cinematic universe, through Jungle Cruise, which barely covered its budget, and Baywatch, which was not well received by critics or audiences.

The Rock isn't thinking about backing down, as he's gearing up to star in new installments of Jumanji and Fast & Furious, as well as the upcoming live-action Moana. He'll also be reuniting with director Safdie for a new project titled Lizard Music, produced by Amazon MGM.

Despite his waning commercial appeal, Johnson is betting on deeper, more humane roles that will present him in a different light, in an attempt to launch a new phase of his cinematic career.