President Rock? Could Dwayne Johnson Succeed Trump?

Is there anything that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson can’t do? He’s your best friend. He eats a third of a ton of fish every year. His smile speaks a universal human language. There are only two million Polynesian people in the entire world, but a film about a strong-willed Polynesian girl trying to save her village can gross over half a billion dollars because it includes Dwayne Johnson.

He’s hinted at returning to pro wrestling. He’s more than hinted at a bid for the presidency. He has a line of athletic clothes though Under Armour and an alarm-clock app that wakes you up by shouting inspirational bromides at you. He is the king of Instagram. He was (and might still be) the Sexiest Man Alive.

Johnson has excelled at everything he’s tried, and he’s not done yet. We have the odds on precisely what he’ll do next in his ongoing pursuit for world domination.

Odds Dwayne Johnson runs for President:

Back in May, GQ ran a cover story entitled “Dwayne Johnson for President” in which he was broadly amenable to the idea. Since then a group called “Run the Rock 2020” filed the paperwork with the FEC to make him eligible, and honestly, it just makes sense. If a former WWE populist can be president, it should be Dwayne Johnson. He has such a broadly appreciated and established brand, one that reaches miles further than even the most popular career politicians in America, that he’ll start the process with a (perhaps unbeatable) lead.

Speaking from a polling perspective, Johnson’s favorables heavily outweigh his unfavorables (36% to 13%, last time anyone checked) and he has broad support from members of both parties, of those who have formed an opinion. That same model gives you a 42/37 victory for the People’s Champ over Donald Trump, something most “real” politicians can’t boast.

The real negative here is that Johnson is making so much money not being the President (Forbes has him at $65 million in 2017). Nobody wants to sacrifice eight figures in annual earning for a job that mostly sucks and a house with a terrible gym.

• Odds to run for President: 6/1
• Odds to win a major party nomination: 12/1
• Odds to be elected President: 16/1

Odds Dwayne Johnson returns to wrestling:

This is the most likely scenario, but is still somewhat problematic. Johnson, being the highest paid and most valuable actor in Hollywood, runs a very tight shooting schedule, cramming seemingly every week with work on a different, hugely popular and successful film project. So while there’s talk of a match with Triple H, such things require The Rock to invest the kind of time that Dwayne Johnson simply doesn’t have.

It is likely, however, that we’ll see The Rock in some form or another at WrestleMania. He’s appeared in each of the last three years, at first just in the intro, and then teaming up with Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 31, and then recording the fastest win in WrestleMania history (6 seconds) at WrestleMania 32. A similar angle in WrestleMania 33 seems likely.

It’s worth considering that pro wrestling fans fell in love with the old Attitude Era Rock. That persona isn’t really compatible with Johnson’s current family-friendly vibe. If he does return to wrestling, it would likely be for the benefit of his personal brand.

• Odds to appear at WrestleMania 33: 7/13
• Odds to wrestle at WrestleMania 33: 7/3

Odds Dwayne Johnson pulls off the EGOT:

Johnson already has a wide-ranging list of awards and achievements, including a handful of pro wrestling championships, a Teen Choice Award, 2016’s Sexiest Man Alive, and a national championship with the 1991 Miami Hurricanes. Whether he can pull off the EGOT (win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony) is a particularly fun question, because it requires him to flex his musical muscles. Moana was great and everything, and Johnson did win some awards for his voiceover performance, but he might be a few steps from winning two very prestigious musical awards. An Oscar is probably the most likely of the four. Johnson has yet to make anything resembling Oscar bait, but is evolving into a genuinely good actor. A few years, a scandal and accompanying comeback narrative, and a juicy role, and we are in business.

Ballers deserves an Emmy. Do not email me.

• Odds to EGOT: 40/1
• Odds to win one of four: 4/1