Dwayne Johnson cast as Doc Savage

[Commander Richard]

Rock's got a reasonable range, but I can't remember a single role where I've ever seen him and not immediately thought 'the Rock', no matter what he was playing.

Then again, considering his origins and the over the top nature of most of his roles, it could just be a question of his branding.

He's not just an actor, he's a movie star. So yeah, he's branded to be the main attraction and to carry his movies just like Schwarzenegger, Cruise, Ford, etc. before him.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I just hope it's set in the 1930s.

Yeah, that's very important, too. Luckily, studios seem more willing to do period pieces these days than they were a few years ago.

 

[JD]

IGN recently spoke to Shane Black and asked him if Doc Savage was going to be a period piece.

It has to be. I’m not going to do it otherwise. And if it doesn’t happen for that reason it doesn’t happen. People say ‘Well, we have all these tie-ins we want to do with merchandise and we can’t do them if it’s 1930s, can’t you make it present day? He’ll fight Al-Qaeda.’ No! That’s not who Doc Savage is. What sets him apart is that he was the first of the Supermen. With all the attendant mythology about being trained from birth to be perfect."

There are a couple other longer quotes in the article, but this one seemed very appropriate to the current conversation

 

[Ovation]

Excellent. This project just went from "interesting" to "must see" (assuming it does get made as a period piece).

 

[Saga]

that is really great news.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Indeed. Sounds like the guy knows and cares about the source material, which is what can really make or break an adaptation.