April 30th 2024.
Dwayne Johnson, a household name in both the wrestling and Hollywood industries, has recently found himself in hot water after being accused of causing delays and budget issues on the set of his upcoming film, Red One. Reports claim that the 51-year-old actor has been consistently late to work, causing the budget to skyrocket to over $250 million. This has sparked controversy and disappointment among his colleagues, who have labeled the shoot a "f**king disaster."
Known for his iconic roles in films such as Black Adam, Moana, Jumanji, and the Fast and Furious franchise, Johnson is currently filming for the highly-anticipated Amazon Prime flick alongside a star-studded cast, including Chris Evans, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Liu, and JK Simmons. Directed by Jake Kasdan, the movie centers around a bounty hunter teaming up with a formidable operative to save Christmas after Santa Claus is kidnapped.
Originally set to be released at the end of 2023, the film's release date was pushed back to November of this year due to recent strikes. However, a new expose has shed light on the alleged reasons for the delays and budget issues. Sources have claimed that Johnson's chronic lateness, averaging seven to eight hours, has caused the crew to shoot around him and even resulted in him missing entire days of production.
One insider stated, "The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late," while another referred to the shoot as a "f**king disaster." These claims have been further fueled by Johnson's late arrival to his main event at WrestleMania 40 and a fan event in Philadelphia, where he was booed by the crowd. However, WWE executive vice president Chris Legentil has since defended Johnson, stating that he was actually "hours early to help with rehearsal" and was a "pleasure to work with."
But Johnson's alleged tardiness is not the only issue that has surfaced. Reports also claim that he has a habit of urinating in water bottles to "save time" on other film sets. While some sources have alleged that this has happened on the set of Red One, others have denied it. The actor has previously spoken about using water bottles for this purpose during intense workouts, but none of the insiders who spoke to TheWrap confirmed that it had happened while filming Red One.
Aside from the ring, multiple sources who have worked with Johnson on various projects have also noted his consistent tardiness. A former production assistant on his HBO series Ballers claimed that he was regularly three to four hours late to set, keeping over 100 crew members waiting for no reason. The publication also reported that an unnamed co-star on 2018's Rampage kept a log of Johnson's lateness, resulting in his call times no longer being published on the schedule.
It has been alleged that Johnson's lateness is due to his refusal to work more than a four or five-hour day. This has reportedly caused tension between him and his co-stars on sets, with claims that his Fast and Furious co-star Vin Diesel was upset by his behavior, leading to a widely-publicized feud between the two. However, they have since reconciled, with Johnson returning for the franchise's final installment in 2023.
During the filming of Netflix's blockbuster Red Notice in 2021, it was reported that Johnson had a "huge fight" with co-star Ryan Reynolds after making him wait for five hours. Johnson is said to have stormed off set, but the two have since resolved their differences. Despite these claims, a Netflix spokesperson has praised Johnson as a "consummate professional" and a pleasure to work with.
While Johnson has yet to respond to these reports publicly, sources close to production and his Seven Bucks production company have denied them, stating that he was no more than one hour late on average and that the budget did not exceed what Amazon had initially approved. A spokesperson for Amazon MGM also defended Johnson, stating that the film's success would not have been possible without his constant work and support.
As these allegations continue to make headlines, The Agency has reached out to Johnson, Reynolds, Amazon Prime, and Netflix for comment. As of now, Johnson's fans can look forward to seeing him on the big screen later this year in Red One, which is receiving positive reactions from test screenings and was a hit at CinemaCon. Despite the controversy, it seems that Johnson's star power and talent remain intact, and we can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.
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