Dwayne Johnson is in high demand for action films and has signed on to star in two new films. Variety reports that Johnson has finalized a deal with MGM to play the title role in Brett Ratner's Hercules, which is slated to being shooting in New Zealand this October.
Ryan Condal adapted Steve Moore's graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian War. The project will be produced by MGM's Roger Birnbaum, Gary Barber, and Jonathan Glickman with Peter Berg and his Film 44 partner Sarah Aubrey, as well as Barry Levine of Radical Pictures, whose Jesse Berger will executive produce.
Deadline reports that Johnson has also signed on to star in Ciudad for directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The intense action thriller is being produced by Eric Gitter and Peter Schwerin of Closed on Mondays Entertainment (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World), as well as Emmett/Furla Films's Randall Emmett & George Furla.
The Russos have mainly been working on the small screen, with TV series like Community, Happy Endings, and Arrested Development. Ciudad is their first action film and first feature film since 2006′s You, Me And Dupree.
Here is what the Russos had to say about the project:
Exploring genre has always been a driving motivation for us as filmmakers. This movie is the culmination of a long time ambition to bring our sensibilities to an action thriller.
Johnson is perfectly cast as Hercules and frankly was meant to play the role. I am actually looking forward to seeing him in both projects, but Ciudad sounds up my alley with more hardcore action. Which of these roles are you more excited to see him star in?
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