Dwayne Johnson is back to collaborating with major filmmakers, and no, it doesn’t seem to be another generic Netflix action flick. The Rock has revealed that he is teaming up with J.J. Abrams for the first time on an upcoming project. The Star Wars director is now working on a top-secret movie starring Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega, but it’s unclear if Johnson’s announcement is referring to that one in particular.
Johnson went to Instagram to reveal a new project “years in the making” with J.J. Abrams, keeping all other details close to his chest. He describes a dinner between the two artists, confirming that they will be collaborating with a raised glass and toast. Johnson most recently filmed the drama The Smashing Machine for director Benny Safdie, which could land him some awards nominations. But his latest work alongside J.J. Abrams could put him back in the action genre.
“Years in the making – we finally broke bread, we drank, got a lil’ drunk (maybe that was just me) laughed, we talked life stuff, love stuff, dude stuff and took our time chopping up our passion for movies and storytelling. Then we all raised a glass and toasted to….yup, this one is gonna be fun.”
In his post, Johnson mentions that the untitled project comes from the mind of Zak Penn, a notable screenwriter whose previous credits will likely excite fans of the actor. Penn wrote the screenplay for Ready Player One, Free Guy, The Avengers (before Joss Whedon re-wrote it), and the 1993 film The Last Action Hero. He also penned a good chunk of the original Fox Marvel films, including X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand. Although Penn could be the writer behind Abrams’ upcoming Powell-led sci-fi film, it is still unknown if that’s the project Johnson referred to in the social media post.
Dwayne Johnson & JJ Abrams’ Upcoming Slate of Movies
Dwayne Johnson was not able to shift the hierarchy of the now-defunct DCEU with Black Adam, but that doesn’t mean he’s not making his presence known elsewhere. In addition to making his return to WWE as The Rock the past two years, Johnson has kept himself busy with several major blockbusters. After appearing in the post-credits scene for Fast X, Johnson is set to lead his own Fast & Furious follow-up before starring in the 11th and final film of the franchise. He’s also pulling double duty on Disney’s upcoming Moana films, the animated sequel and the live-action production. Next, audiences will be able to see him on the big screen during the holiday season with Red One, alongside Chris Evans and J.K. Simmons.
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J.J. Abrams has been keeping quiet as of late when it comes to directing his own projects. Although he has several Bad Robot-produced projects in the pipeline, his next directing gig after Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker will be the untitled top-secret film starring Powell, Ortega, and now possibly Johnson. TheInSneider previously reported that it was a fantasy film inspired by the 1984 movie The Last Starfighter, a space opera about a video game player recruited to fight an interstellar war against aliens. If true, Abrams is remaining well within his wheelhouse.