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Decades after making guest appearances on sitcoms and Star Trek, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson evolved from a key figure in the world of wrestling into becoming this generation’s big action star and bonafide box-office needle-mover. After failing to helm his own corner at Warner Bros. with Black Adam, things have been rockier than rock-solid and it could be the beginning of a full-on rock slide.
TheWrap is reporting that Johnson’s actions on the set of his upcoming Christmas action movie, Red One, have him a nuisance at best and disgusting at worst. The movie, co-starring Chris Evans and J. K. Simmons as Santa, has Johnson as a bounty hunter out to save Santa after he gets kidnapped. Amazon had hopes of branching the movie into a formidable franchise, but in addition to a year-long delay said to be due to 2023’s strikes, there may have been other issues with the production.
Johnson showed up as much as eight hours late to set, causing ballooned costs by at least $50 million, according to three insiders who insisted on anonymity for fear of Johnson’s retribution.
“It was a f—-ing disaster,” said one insider. On days when Johnson didn’t show up at all, the production crew was forced to shoot around him, stories that go back to working on Ballers at HBO. “They rent a location [where] they can shoot as much as they can of other actors while they wait for him to decide if he’s coming to set,” another producer who visited the set of Ballers, which was corroborated by another.
Even more outrageous, Johnson reportedly has a reputation for working through bathroom breaks and made a habit of peeing in a water bottle to save time, upsetting crew members.
“On set, away from his trailer, if he needs to pee, he doesn’t go to the public bathroom,” said one insider who knows the movie star well. “He pees in a Voss water bottle and his team or a PA has to dispose of it.” TheWrap did not speak to any insiders who said this occurred on Red One, and two people close to the production denied to TheWrap that Johnson had ever asked a crew member or otherwise to dispose of those.
“He would never ask another person to dispose of something like that,” said one individual.
With comic-book movies behind him for now, and possible future franchises lined up, Johnson will soon join A24 in The Smashing Machine, along with Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt. The film is based on the life of UFC fighter Mark Kerr and is directed by Ben Safdie. However, Johnson’s reputation as a difficult star has followed him before that has even begun.
“Benny has no clue what he’s gotten himself into,” a source said.
The Smashing Machine is supposed to begin shooting over the summer, but the same insider expressed some doubt that it’ll be that smooth. His surprise return to the Fast and Furious franchise also caught people off guard after this longstanding beef with Vin Diesel was suddenly squashed.
Red One is scheduled for theaters on November 15, 2024.
