According to The Hollywood Reporter, superstar Dwayne Johnson is confirmed to head down the river for Disney’s live-action film based on their popular theme park attraction, Jungle Cruise. Johnson, who’s been attached to the project since 2015, is slated to begin shooting the film in spring of 2018.
Writer-director pair John Requa and Glenn Ficarra ( Focus, Crazy, Stupid, Love.) were originally set to pen the Jungle Cruise script, though J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay ( Star Trek Beyond) wrote the most recent draft. Johnson is set to produce alongside his Seven Bucks Productions partner Dany Garcia, as well as frequent collaborator Beau Flynn ( San Andreas, Baywatch) of Flynn Picture Co.
A film adaptation of the ride, one of the original rides from the opening day of Disneyland, was previously in development with a script by Al Gough and Miles Millar ( Spider-Man 2, “Smallville”). Another attempt was made in 2011 with Disney officially announcing an adaptation starring Toy Story ‘s own Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Neither versions ultimately materialized.
Should this version become a reality, it would join the ranks of films Disney has created based on their theme park attractions, including The Country Bears, The Haunted Mansion, Mission to Mars, Tomorrowland, and the most popular, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Johnson has a big year ahead with Fate of the Furious opening next weekend, then Baywatch on May 26 and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle on December 20. Having just completed Fighting With My Family, he’ll next shoot New Line’s Rampage later this spring, followed by the China-set adventure movie Skyscraper in late summer and fall.
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