by Mike Fleming Jr. | Deadline Hollywood
Dwayne Johnson is re-teaming with New Line and producer Beau Flynn for Rampage, a live action feature that has been set for a 2016 summer production start. The film is based on the classic 80’s Midway Arcade Game that has since had numerous incarnations on different gaming platforms. They are keeping the plot under wraps, but the game involves three giant monsters–a gorilla, a lizard and a wolf–that wreak havoc on major cities and landmarks across North America. The formidable Johnson gets in their way. Johnson, Flynn and New Line are coming off San Andreas, the earthquake disaster film which has shaken loose $415 million in global ticket sales so far.
The script is by Ryan Engle (Non-Stop), and New Line is working to fill the open directing assignment now. Flynn will produce via his FlynnPictureCo. banner and John Rickard will also produce via his Rickard Pictures. Rickard is currently in production at New Line on How To Be Single. Seven Bucks Productions co-founders Johnson and Dany Garcia are also involved in a producing capacity. Their Seven Bucks just launched the HBO series Ballers, which stars Johnson as a silver tongued jock-turned sports deal maker.
The plan is for Johnson to star in this film after he completes production on Fast & Furious 8 as Johnson continues to generate franchises at a rate Ray Kroc might envy. Johnson is working for New Line right now, shooting Central Intelligence alongside Kevin Hart. This will be the fourth collaboration for Johnson and Flynn after the New Line sequel Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and Paramount/MGM’s Hercules. Richard Brener, Michael Disco, and Sam Brown will oversee for New Line.
Johnson is repped by WME, The Garcia Companies and Gang Tyre; Engle is repped by Original Artists and Mosaic.
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