Red One: Dwayne Johnson Unwraps Christmas Movie Universe Lore With Jumanji Director
Dwayne Johnson is about to sleigh the holidays. Christmas-themed original movie Red One reunites Johnson with his two-time Jumanji director Jake Kasdan, who directs from a script penned by Johnson's Fast & Furious franchise and Hobbs & Shaw writer Chris Morgan. Plot details remain under the tree for now, but the new movie from Amazon Studios is "building out a universe of very cool Christmas lore and bad assery all in one," says Johnson of the next effort from his Seven Bucks Productions and Kasdan (Sony's Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Jumanji: The Next Level).
"Jake directed our two JUMANJI movies which grossed nearly $2 BILLION at the global box office and delivered a big ass package of FUN & JOY to families around the world," Johnson wrote in an Instagram post reacting to Kasdan's getting aboard Santa's sleigh. "Our storyline is top secret but what I'll share is, we are building out a universe of very cool CHRISTMAS LORE and BAD ASSERY all in one."
Amazon has only described Red One as "a globe-trotting, four-quadrant action-adventure comedy, imagining a whole new universe to explore within the holiday genre." According to Johnson, "It's BIG. It's ORIGINAL. It's FUN. It's CHRISTMAS."
Pre-production is now underway ahead of a planned summer shooting start in 2022 for a holiday 2023 release. Johnson and Kasdan will produce alongside Seven Bucks partners Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia (Disney's Jungle Cruise, DC's upcoming Black Adam).
Along with his two Jumanji sequels, which grossed a total of $1.7 billion worldwide for Sony, Kasdan's credits include Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Bad Teacher, and episodes of Freaks and Geeks, New Girl, and Disney+ series Doogie Kamealoha, M.D.
"Our Seven Bucks is very bullish on our partnership with Amazon Studios; underpinned with some innovation, some pioneering and a lot of positive energy and passion," Johnson said when announcing the new movie over the summer. "I've been very impressed with Jen Salke and her team's vision and ambition to create an enormous, fun and unique Red One holiday universe for families around the world to enjoy."
Said Salke, chief of Amazon Studios, "Seven Bucks Productions is a leader in creating unique and compelling entertainment for the entire family, and we know Red One will continue that tradition. Hiram's concept and the world he's envisioned are uniquely original and we are so excited to team with Seven Bucks Productions and Chris Morgan to help bring it to life. Red One is just the first step in what we know will be a successful, collaborative venture."