Summary
- Dwayne Johnson prioritizes projects that matter, starting with a biopic about Ric Flair’s wrestling legend.
- His production company will tackle important stories like A24’s The Smashing Machine, revealing a new chapter in Johnson’s career.
- Johnson’s Wrestlemania return doesn’t mean he’s leaving Hollywood; he wants to make films with relatable stories and human struggles.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson might be returning to the squared circle at Wrestlemania XL in April, but that doesn’t mean he’s leaving the world of Hollywood behind. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the 51-year-old megastar came out recently and revealed that he wants to “make films that matter.” First up on his list of very important movies is a biopic about wrestling legend, Ric Flair, which will be produced by Johnson’s company, Seven Bucks Productions.
Johnson revealed the news on X (formerly Twitter) with a lengthy post about what ‘The Nature Boy’ has meant to not only Johnson himself, but to the wrestling business as a whole. He said that “Ric Flair had a relentless passion to be the greatest of all time,” and that “this project is personal for me.” Check out Johnson’s post below, along with the video he shared to celebrate the news.
Johnson has been a staple in big budget Hollywood movies for more than two decades now, including roles in the Fast and Furious franchise, appearances in the DCU, and headlining his own films such as Rampage, and Skyscraper. Recently, the Moana actor was tapped to star in A24’s The Smashing Machine, about the real-life two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, Mark Kerr, which will be directed by Barry Safdie, the man behind Adam Sandler’s hit film, Uncut Gems. At the time of the announcement, Johnson revealed that at this point in his life, he wants to “make films that matter.”
“I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain.”
Dwayne Johnson Is Mirroring A24’s Success
Though news of a Ric Flair biopic from Seven Bucks Productions was revealed by Flair himself in 2020, nothing was made official until now. It seems that Dwayne Johnson took note of the critical success A24’s The Iron Claw had and decided to move forward with the film, as the story about the iconic Von Erich wrestling family currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite being shut out at the Academy Awards and receiving no nominations, the film was a hit with critics everywhere, and opened the door for Johnson to produce a film about Ric Flair that examines the highs and lows of his personal and professional life.
Dwayne Johnson Is Now a Businessman First and an Actor Second
As much as Dwayne Johnson might believe every word he’s paid to utter, it’s getting harder to differentiate the pitchman from the human being.
As for Flair, he also took to social media to share his excitement over the upcoming biopic, thanking Johnson, and calling it “the dream of a lifetime” for his story to be told. Check out his post below.
Johnson is set to appear next in Red One, a Christmas action-comedy that will debut on November 15, 2024, as well as Moana 2, which hits theaters on November 27, 2024 and the live-action remake of the original Moana. He’ll also be a featured act at this year’s Wrestlemania, which takes place over the course of two nights on April 6 and April 7, 2024. The 40th annual event will emanate from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and be streamed live on Peacock in the United States.
