After many months of negotiations and schedule configuration, it’s now official: Dwayne Johnson has signed on to play the mythological hero in Hercules, the new action film to be directed by Brett Ratner.
Johnson and Ratner had been in talks to participate in the project since early spring, but confirmation on their involvement didn’t come until Deadline reported on it today. With both of them now officially on board, this is no doubt shaping up to be one of the most testosterone-fueled movies currently in development.
The plot of the film will be based on the Steve Moore graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars, published by Radical Studios, rather than a straight retelling of any of the Greek/Roman mythic tales. The story features Hercules as a mercenary training the warriors of the king of barbarian Thrace as he decides to follow a higher calling and defend Mount Olympus from an evil army. The screenplay adaptation was written by Ryan Condal (Paradise Lost).
Of all the actors who would come to mind as the best man to portray Hercules, Dwayne Johnson would certainly be near the top of any list. It’s looking like 2013 will be quite the prolific year for The Rock, with Fast and the Furious 6, GI Joe: Retaliation, Snitch, and Pain and Gain, to name a few. That’s right. There’s more on his slate than just those four. Needless to say, he’ll have a fair amount of star momentum heading into the summer of 2014, when Hercules is expected to get its actual release.
How do you like Dwayne Johnson in the role of Hercules? Is Brett Ratner the right director to team up with The Rock on this one? Any strong opinions on who should play the King of Thrace?
Have your say in the comments section below.
