The Rock to Produce, Star In Netflix’s John Henry and The Statesmen

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is set to star in and produce John Henry and The Statesmen for Netflix. Netflix announced the news on Tuesday. The film will be directed by Jake Kasdan, who reteams with Johnson after they worked together on Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Johnson will produce alongside Kasdan, Seven Bucks Productions’ Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia and longtime collaborator Beau Flynn of FlynnPictureCo. Mar, FPC’s Wendy Jacobson and Tom Wheeler will executive produce.

The film is described as a family action/adventure film based on an original pitch from writer Wheeler, who will write the film. Johnson will star as John Henry, leading an ensemble cast of the most popular figures from folklore and legend from all around the world.

Johnson said of the project, “Netflix is the perfect partner and platform for us to continue entertaining our global audience in a disruptive way. These diverse characters speak to a legacy of storytelling that is more relevant than ever and span across a worldwide audience regardless of age, gender, race or geography.”

Dany Garcia added, “We have been committed to an international storytelling model for more than a decade. Our partnership with Netflix is giving us an incredible opportunity to reach a broad and diverse audience in the most accessible and intimate manner. We are absolutely thrilled with the opportunity.”

“Dwayne is a global superstar, inarguably one of the most popular actors in the world,” said Scott Stuber, head of Netflix’s film group. “He and Jake are a tremendous duo with a proven track record of entertaining audiences worldwide. We’re delighted to be able to partner with them and collaborate with Seven Bucks Productions and FPC. This is a story with universal appeal and we can’t wait to bring these characters to families around the globe.”

Hiram Garcia added, “Developing an expansive universe of characters that present a needle-moving premise while entertaining our domestic and international audiences, is priority for Seven Bucks Productions. Tom’s brilliant concept aligned perfectly with our company’s creative sensibilities. We are ecstatic to develop this shared universe populated by a vast library of American and international folk heroes. The possibilities are limitless.”

“Over the past decade, FlynnPictureCo. and Seven Bucks Productions have been focused on creating global event feature films to entertain the worldwide audience, and we have cultivated a direct relationship with our fans in the US and overseas,” said Beau Flynn. “So, to be able to partner with Netflix and utilize their immediate reach to 190 countries is a game-changing opportunity for us to develop a brand-new franchise in John Henry and The Statesmen.”