Dwayne Johnson Teams Up with Scorsese for Epic Hawaiian Crime Drama!

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Summary

  • Martin Scorsese directs crime epic with Dwayne Johnson, DiCaprio, & Blunt about Hawaiian crime boss in 60s/70s.
  • Project explores themes of cultural survival, power, brutality, reminiscent of Scorsese’s past crime films.
  • Film personally significant for Johnson due to ties to Hawaii, aiming to bring gripping addition to Scorsese’s filmography.

A significant motion picture production is coming together, with Martin Scorsese slated to lead the direction of an unnamed crime thriller featuring Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Emily Blunt. This high-profile production, penned by Nick Bilton, will breathe life into a little-known true tale about a merciless Hawaiian crime kingpin who battled for dominance over the islands’ criminal underworld during the 1960s and 70s.

Titled as a crime saga in paradise reminiscent of “Goodfellas,” this film chronicles the journey of a captivating yet intimidating mob boss who constructs Hawaii’s most dominant criminal empire, engaging in battles against mainland corporations and opposing syndicates. Delving into themes of cultural preservation, power, and violence, the movie portrays its central character’s relentless quest for dominance to safeguard his homeland. The production has garnered comparisons to Martin Scorsese’s past crime masterpieces like “The Departed,” hinting at a raw, tension-filled storyline unfolding against the vibrant backdrop of Hawaii’s rich history.

As reported by Deadline, this upcoming film marks another creative collaboration between DiCaprio and Scorsese, who last teamed up for “Killers of the Flower Moon”, a nominee for Best Picture at the 2024 Academy Awards. In their past, they have worked together on projects like “The Aviator”, “The Departed”, “Gangs of New York”, and “The Wolf of Wall Street”. On the other hand, Blunt and Johnson, who previously acted together in “Jungle Cruise”, are once again joining forces professionally, having recently completed filming for Benny Safdie’s “The Smashing Machine” under A24.

Dwayne Johnson Brings His Passion For Hawaii To The Big Screen

This upcoming movie features an impressive lineup of producers such as Martin Scorsese, renowned director and producer of numerous films, Dwayne Johnson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Blunt, Nick Bilton, Dany Garcia, Lisa Frechette, and Rick Yorn. Blunt and Johnson played significant roles in initiating the project, proposing the idea to Scorsese and DiCaprio initially, then recruiting Bilton to draft the screenplay. Despite being in its initial stages, there’s already a buzz surrounding this potential masterpiece, which could become another captivating, visually stunning work in Scorsese’s illustrious crime filmography.

Johnson finds this project especially significant since he holds a strong personal connection to Hawaii. Although Johnson was born in Hayward, California, a part of his childhood was spent in Honolulu. He grew up in a working-class Samoan family there. His late grandfather, Peter Maivia, was a renowned Samoan wrestler, and his father, Rocky Johnson, was an acclaimed Canadian professional wrestler. However, Johnson’s bond with Hawaii goes beyond family ties; it is also deeply rooted in spirituality and culture. The actor has often expressed a strong desire to film a significant project on the islands. Previously, he considered creating a biopic about King Kamehameha, the Hawaiian ruler who united the islands through shrewd diplomacy and military prowess.

One significant link between Johnson and Hawaiian/Polynesian culture lies in his voice acting as Maui in the 2016 animated hit “Moana” by Disney, and his forthcoming live-action role in the same title. Johnson has mentioned that the character of Maui was modeled after his grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, a respected figure in Samoan wrestling and culture. To maintain accuracy in representing Polynesian mythology, he collaborated extensively with Disney’s creative team, frequently drawing on his personal cultural experiences and family history for reference.

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2025-02-21 21:47