According to The Hollywood Reporter, Joe Manganiello (Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, Magic Mike XXL) and Marley Shelton (Scream 4, Planet Terror) are in talks to co-star alongside Dwayne Johnson (The Fate of the Furious, Central Intelligence) and Naomie Harris (Moonlight, Skyfall) in the Rampage movie, an adaptation of the classic Midway arcade game at New Line Cinema. Manganiello’s character is the leader of a private military group, while Shelton’s is a scientist/astronaut.
This will mark the third collaboration between Johnson, producer Beau Flynn, director Brad Peyton and New Line, having worked on Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and San Andreas together as well. The latter film earned over $473 million at the global box offices, making it the most successful original blockbuster of summer 2015.
Carlton Cuse (San Andreas) and his Colony co-creator Ryan Condal will rewrite the script by Non-Stop screenwriter Ryan Engle, which will involve Johnson going toe-to-toe with the game’s three original beasties. Beau Flynn (Baywatch) will produce.
Released in 1986, the original Rampage put players in control of one of three monsters: A giant ape named George; a giant lizard name Lizzy; or a giant werewolf named Ralph. The game saw the monsters running amok across the United States, fighting the military, and destroying key landmarks. Several sequels were developed for the title as well, adding even more types of monsters to the playable roster and extending their path of destruction into the cosmos and even back in time.
New Line will release the Rampage movie to theaters on April 20, 2018.
Manganiello will next appear as the villain Deathstroke in the solo Batman movie starring Ben Affleck. Shelton is married to Rampage producer Beau Flynn.
