Central Intelligence may still be waiting in the wings ahead of its deployment on June 17, but Deadline is reporting today that Dwayne Johnson is keen to reteam with the movie’s director Rawson Marshall Thurber for an actioner pitched as “Die Hard in China.”
Written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber – whose credits include Dodgeball and We’re The Millers – Deadline notes that the hot project has already sparked a bidding war between leading studios, with a handful of seven-figure deals already being tabled from Legendary, Universal, Sony and Paramount.
That’s hardly surprising, of course; buoyed by a roster of compelling supporting roles before firing San Andreas to box office glory at New Line, Dwayne Johnson is fast becoming one of the most bankable stars in all of Hollywood and clearly, Hollywood’s suits are standing up and taking notice. You don’t get the nickname “franchise viagra” for nothing, after all.
Speaking of which, Johnson has also lined up a remake of Big Trouble in Little China, John Carpenter’s beloved fantasy actioner that first graced the scene in ’86. That’s firmly on the back-burner, it seems, and we’ll be keeping tabs on this latest movie deal between Johnson and Rawson Marshall Thurber as the bidding war develops.
Look for Central Intelligence to storm theaters on June 17. Beyond that, ensuring his status as one of the busiest bees in Hollywood remains intact, Dwayne Johnson has also lined up roles in Ballers season 2, Fast 8, Baywatch, Jumanji and a San Andreas sequel, along with a potential Fast and Furious spinoff revolving around his musclebound hero, Luke Hobbs.
