New Line has emerged as the winner of a fierce battle between three studios for an untitled action-comedy vehicle for Dwayne Johnson, paying out a reported high-six against seven figures for the project, which will be written by Dave Callaham and directed by Will Gluck. The film will be produced by Beau Flynn through his Flynn Picture Co, Gluck through his Olive Bridge, and Johnson through his Seven Bucks.
Story details are being kept under wraps, but the pitch is being described as a throwback buddy comedy in the vein of Lethal Weapon and Midnight Run.
Jodi Hildebrand will oversee for Olive Bridge, while Scott Sheldon is the EP for Flynn Picture Co and Hiram Garcia for Seven Bucks. Richard Brener, Walter Hamada and David Neustadter are producing for New Line.
Callahan recently wrote Zombieland 2 for Sony, and is currently in development with the action-comedy Secret Service for Screen Gems. Gluck is also set to produce and direct that film.
This latest project continues to fortify the relationship between Johnson and Flynn, who worked together on New Line’s summer hit San Andreas. They’re currently working together on Rampage, an action-adventure flick based on the classic arcade game, as well as Paramount’s Baywatch, co-starring Zac Efron.
Gluck, meanwhile, is in development with the live action / animation hybrid film Peter Rabbit, which we reported exclusively at The Tracking Board earlier this year.
Johnson is repped by WME and The Garcia Companies.
Callaham is repped by UTA and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment.
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Josh Lyons | Associate Editor
