October 14, 2013
Dwayne Johnson has closed a deal to star in San Andreas, New Line’s earthquake disaster movie.
Brad Peyton, who directed Johnson in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, is helming the project, which is being produced by Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson.
With Johnson closing his deal, New Line is planning for an April start and setting a 2015 release date.
The script is set after a devastating earthquake hits California and centers on a man making a perilous trip across the state to rescue his estranged daughter. Johnson will play that man, described as a rugged rescue helicopter pilot.
Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore wrote the initial draft with Chad and Carey Hayes working on the most current draft. The project is based on an idea by Flynn. New Line is aiming to out-Roland Emmerich Roland Emmerich with this project, envisioned as epic in scope.
Sam Brown and Michael Disco are overseeing for New Line.
Johnson is coming off a banner year in which his appearances in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Fast & Furious 6 and Pain & Gain generated more than $1.1 billion at the global box office.
He is currently filming Fast & Furious 7 after recently completing the shoot for Hercules: The Thracian Wars, directed by Brett Ratner.
Johnson is repped by WME, The Garcia Companies and Gang Tyre.
Fabrizio and Passmore are repped by Paradigm, Aperature Entertainment, and attorney Rob Szymanski.