Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is famous for headlining various action vehicles over the years, but his next film will mark a drastic change of pace. On his official X account, Johnson confirmed he will star in director Martin Scorsese’s upcoming film about mafia activity in Hawaii. In the post, Johnson reflected on what he considers to be “the most creatively inspiring time of my career,” expressing gratitude for being able to collaborate with those closest to him. He also alluded to a decades-spanning story in Scorsese’s latest film, hinting at its epic scope.
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“Grateful for what’s been the most creatively inspiring time of my career – working closely with my friends and of course, the maestro Marty Scorsese,” Johnson wrote. “In the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s the mafia controlled New York, Miami, Chicago, Vegas, and a particularly strong hold on the island I was raised – Hawaii.” Check out his full post below:
In February, word of Scorsese’s Hawaiian mobster film was first reported. In addition to Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Blunt are attached to star. Johnson headlines as “an aspiring mob boss” who rises up the ranks in the criminal underworld and goes toe to toe with “rival crime factions.” His character has been compared to Frank Costello, the role played by Jack Nicholson in Scorsese’s The Departed. As of this writing, the film does not have a release date.
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Johnson appears to be making an effort to broaden his horizons, as Scorsese isn’t the only auteur he’s teaming up with. He’s also starring in director Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, which chronicles the life and career of MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Coincidentally, Blunt also co-stars in The Smashing Machine.
Scorsese and Johnson is poised to be one of the more fascinating pairings in recent memory. With some exceptions, Johnson’s starring turns haven’t really been critical darlings; in contrast, Scorsese’s 21st century output includes multiple Best Picture nominees and other widely acclaimed films. Few would have predicted their paths to cross, so it will be interesting to see how this Hawaiian mafia movie turns out. What’s encouraging is that Johnson and Blunt pitched this project to Scorsese and DiCaprio, who agreed to come onboard. That indicates there’s something special about this film, and given Scorsese’s legendary work in the crime genre, there isn’t anyone better to call the shots.
Johnson hyping up his collaboration with Scorsese on social media now implies the film is a top priority for him. Scorsese seems to always have multiple projects in development, but considering the star power behind this one, there’s probably great interest in getting it off the ground sooner rather than later. Hopefully, all the pieces fall into place in the near future and the film can move forward. Scorsese films are always perennial Oscar contenders, which means viewers might get to witness something even more unexpected: Academy Award nominee Dwayne Johnson. Assuming he doesn’t earn a nod for The Smashing Machine first, a meaty role as a gangster in a Scorsese picture could be too good for voters to pass up.
