By It’s something of a pop culture truism that it’s impossible to make a good – or even competent – movie based on a video game. That doesn’t stop studios from trying, of course, probably thanks to the fact that the Resident Evil movies have been successful enough to justify a baffling number of sequels. Next up is a live-action adaptation of the arcade classic Rampage. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is set to star, trading in fighting casts and earthquakes for fighting giant monsters punching buildings (probably; we assume he isn’t starring as one of the monsters, though that would be incredible).
Plot details of the film – which will be produced by New Line and Beau Flynn – are scarce, and there’s not much to go off of looking at the source material. The original game, which first debuted in arcades in the 80s and in several permutations on home consoles since, primarily puts players in the shoes (so to speak) of a giant monster terrorizing cities, mostly by punching buildings. Smart money puts Johnson in the role of a military man or police officer or average Joe trying to put a stop to this – wait for it – rampage, but we suppose anything is possible.
The movie is set to begin production next summer, with a script to be penned by Ryan Engle and a director yet to be named. Though production begins next year, it’s hard to say when they’ll actually start filming the thing. Johnson has a full slate ahead of him – he’s currently starring in the HBO series Ballers, and he’s set to appear in Fast & Furious 8 and Central Intelligence, as well as that Big Trouble in Little China remake.