It's a match made in movie heaven: Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are teaming up to create one of the oddest odd couples in movie history.
The duo are joining forces for the New Line action-comedy “Central Intelligence” from director Rawson Marshall Thurber (“We're the Millers”) and exec producer Ed Helms.
With his high school reunion approaching, a school athlete-turned-accountant (Hart) is contacted by a former classmate (Johnson) he used to bully. To his surprise, the onetime “loser” is now a hulking hired killer for the CIA who recruits the accountant into an undercover operation.
Both Johnson and Hart teased the news on Twitter, and it was later officially confirmed by Variety.
Hardest workin' man in the room, talkin' to… the other hardest workin' man in the room… https://t.co/Fdfq8ZE5YM
– Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) November 8, 2014
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I see you big fella….The world is not ready for what we are about to hit them with @TheRock ……Let's … https://t.co/qp4uOq7To1
– Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) November 8, 2014
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“Central Intelligence” has been in the works for a few years. The script has gone through several writers, including a first draft by Ike Barinholtz and Dave Stassen, and re-writes by Sean Anders and John Morris, and Thurber.
“We're the Millers” and “The Hangover” star Helms was originally slated to play the lead role, but is now solely acting as executive producer. The rest of the film's cast should be revealed soon.
After stumbling at the box office with “Hercules,” Johnson will soon appear in “Fast and Furious 7,” and in the adventure film “San Andreas” with Kylie Minogue and Carla Gugino. He's also attached to two more “Journey to the Center of the Earth” sequels and Warner Bros.' DC Comics adaptation “Shazam.”
Meanwhile, Hart is coming off back-to-back hits “Ride Along” and “Think Like a Man Too,” and will soon be seen in “The Wedding Ringer” and alongside Will Ferrell in “Get Hard. He'll then reprise his lead role in “Ride Along 2” opposite Ice Cube.