[UPDATE: It’s official, Dwayne Johnson is playing Doc Savage!]
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Nowadays, the question isn’t so much what movie is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson starring in; it’s what movie isn’t he appearing in. The beloved wrestler-turned actor has continued to expand his “brand” to encompass everything – from roles in original projects such as this summer’s action/comedy Central Intelligence and the HBO series Ballers (which will soon begin its second season) to roles in pre-established properties, including the upcoming Jumanji reboot that The Rock recently confirmed he will co-headline with his Central Intelligence costar Kevin Hart, as well as Jack Black.
Johnson is also expected to reprise his role as the steadfast federal agent Hobbs in Fast & Furious 8, which is currently in production and will hit theaters in April 2017. Among the other projects that “The Rock” has in development are a big screen adaptation of the Disney theme park attraction Jungle Cruise; a movie based on the classic giant-monsters-wreaking-havoc arcade/video game Rampage; a sequel to Johnson’s hit 2015 disaster adventure/thriller San Andreas; and a “mystery” movie from Shane Black, it would now appear.
“The Rock” alluded to an upcoming project with the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3 director via an update that he posted to his Instagram account from Georgia – where, at the time of writing this, he is currently filming the Baywatch movie reboot with actors like Zac Efron and San Andreas costar Alexandra Daddario, for a May 2017 theatrical release date.
Johnson, during his Instagram post about the “space where I can work and keep building the enterprise” that he has arranged for himself while filming Baywatch in Georgia, mentioned that among the things (literally) on his desk are “an outline for a cool movie I’ll make in 2017 (with director Shane Black)” on his iPad. “The Rock” didn’t clarify what his collaboration with Black will be, but there are two distinct possibilities: 1) The Predator, a sequel/reboot to the 1980s-born Predator sci-fi/action movie franchise and 2) A Doc Savage film, based on the pulp magazine stories about the globe-trotting adventurer from the 1930s/’40s.
You can check out Johnson’s original post, below:
Finding our anchor. When I’m shooting on location I always need a space where I can work and keep building the enterprise. Here in Georgia this has been my space for months now. Keepin’ it country. Every film, TV show, partnership and project we develop gets handled from here. When I feel good about it, it goes in the pile to the left that clearly reflects my OCD. When I’m still making adjustments, it stays on the pile on the right. All contracts that need signing remain in the middle. On the iPad I’m reading an outline for a cool movie I’ll make in 2017 (with director Shane Black) and when I get tired and need a lil’ pick me up, the shaker cup holds a special shot of energy – Elk piss. The more complicated our lives get, the more we need simple spaces like this to anchor us. In simplistic terms, find your work space and anchor to help you keep your shit together. #AndDontTryDrinkingElkPiss #IWasKidding #ItsLionBlood A photo posted by therock (@therock) on May 15, 2016 at 6:46pm PDT
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The Jumanji reboot is expected to begin production early this summer in order to make its tentative July 2017 theatrical release date, while Black has confirmed that he’s getting ready to start filming The Predator this fall for a March 2018 release date. Although that does leave just enough room for Johnson to move from making Jumanji into production on The Predator, Johnson’s original Instagram message seems to contradict that idea, since that would require him to start working with Black this year, not in 2017.
Doc Savage thus appears to be the more likely candidate, since that’s the other known project that Black has recently mentioned that he’s actively developing at the moment. It’s a win-win situation either way, however things shake out. The prospect of Johnson playing a soldier or member of the military (presumably) who battles Predators is just as enticing as the idea of “The Rock” playing an Indiana Jones-style adventurer in a big screen take on Doc Savage.
Black is similarly on a hot streak right now, with his latest film The Nice Guys (a 1970s buddy-detective flick in the vein of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) generating positive buzz ahead of its theatrical debut and the writer/director taking steps to not only revive the Predator series, but also launch a potentially lucrative movie property with Doc Savage. Whatever movie Johnson and Black are planning to work together on, there should be a sizable audience ready and waiting to watch the results too.
NEXT: Shane Black Gives Doc Savage Update
We’ll bring you more information on Doc Savage when we have it.
