Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to Play Kamehameha I in New Film, THE KING
By Wendy Osher
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (left) Photo credit: Warner Bros. / SAN ANDREAS; Kamehameha I (right). Public Domain via Wikipedia: Scanned from page 28 of the following book. Grant, Glenn (2004) Hawai`i Looking Back: An illustrated History of the Islands, Mutual Publishing, pp. 454 from painting located at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has been tapped to play the starring title role of Kamehameha I in film THE KING, New Line Cinema (a film production studio of Warner Bros.) has confirmed.
Paiʻea, also known as King Kamehameha the Great, is credited with unifying the Hawaiian islands under one rule.
The film will be directed by Academy Award winner Robert Zemeckis (FORREST GUMP) with the script by Oscar-nominated Randall Wallace (BRAVEHEART). Producers are Seven Bucks Productions’ Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia; FlynnPictureCo.’s Beau Flynn; Robert Zemeckis, as well as Randall Wallace.
New Line Cinema representatives tell Maui Now that the road to THE KING becoming a reality began last year when a kahu (priest) oversaw a blessing ceremony in Hawaiʻi for the project and those involved including Johnson, Wallace and Garcia.
THE KING is described as a sweeping historical epic based on the true life story of King Kamehameha, the legendary King who was the first to unite the warring Hawaiian islands — “fulfilling the prophecy that surrounded his fabled life since birth.”
New Line Cinema representatives tell Maui Now that THE KING represents a passion project for Johnson, who was raised in Hawaiʻi and is of Polynesian decent. Johnson has been cultivating this project since 2001.
Johnson was the voice of the demi-god Maui in Disney’s Moana that was released in 2016. He also starred in the action-adventure film, Rampage, which was released in April.
New Line has an established track record with both Dwayne Johnson and Beau Flynn. Action adventure blockbusters include: SAN ANDREAS ($474M WWBO), RAMPAGE ($426M WWBO) and JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND ($335M WWBO), which have grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide.
KA LA HIKI OLA.
Dawning of a new day with hope and promise.
Humbled & grateful to begin this once in a lifetime journey.
KING KAMEHAMEHA – the legendary King was the first to unite the… https://t.co/IbPDyqiHKB— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 29, 2018
Photo credit: Warner Bros. / RAMPAGE
Photo credit: Warner Bros. / SAN ANDREAS
Photo credit: Warner Bros. / SAN ANDREAS
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (left) Photo credit: Warner Bros. / SAN ANDREAS; Kamehameha I (right). Public Domain via Wikipedia: Scanned from page 28 of the following book. Grant, Glenn (2004) Hawai`i Looking Back: An illustrated History of the Islands, Mutual Publishing, pp. 454 from painting located at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.
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