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Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans' Christmas Action Movie Debuts To Coal-Worthy Rotten Tomatoes Score
Dwayne Johnson addresses a damning report about the apparent ballooning ofRed One’s budget. Directed by Jake Kasdan,Red One’s story sees Johnson starring as Callum Drift, head of security at the North Pole, who must team up with bounty hunter Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans) after Santa (J.K. Simmons) is kidnapped. The Christmas film was the subject of a report fromTheWrapearlier this year, whichclaimed that Johnson frequently urinated into water bottles on set while also regularly being seven or more hours late, ballooning the film’s budget to $250 million from $200 million.
In a recent interview withGQ, Johnson addresses these allegations about his behavior on theRed Oneset, admitting thatthere is some truth to some of the claims. Regarding peeing in a bottle, Johnson reveals that “Yeah. That happens.” The actor, who calls the entire controversy “bullsh*t,” admits that he was sometimes late, too, but not to the extent outlined inTheWrap’s report:
“Yeah, that happens too. But not that amount, by the way. That was a bananas amount. That’s crazy. Ridiculous.”
Kasdan comes to Johnson’s defense in the matter, revealing that the actor “never missed a day of work ever. He has a lot going on.He can be late sometimes, but such is Hollywood—that’s the case with everybody. Honestly, I’ve made three big movies with him. I’ve never seen him be anything but great to every single person on the set.”
Evans also shared kind words about Johnson and his work ethic, explaining that hisRed Onecostar was more considerate and predictable than some of the costars he’s had on other projects:
“In terms of the guy that I saw, compared to some of the things I’ve seen on other movies with other actors who are not only not conscious of other people’s time and efforts, but they’re unpredictable? I found Dwayne to be—we all know exactly what he’s going to do when he’s going to do it.”
Johnson’s morning workouts were cited in the report as one reason for his tardiness, and, while the actor did workout in the morning before coming to set, Evans reveals that this was built into the film’s shooting schedule:
“But this is something that the producers, the director, and it’s all his team, so they all know this. So it’s all basic. It’s not like he’s late unexpectedly, and I wouldn’t even call it late. He comes in slightly later on certain mornings, but it’s part of the plan. It’s worked into the schedules and everyone knows it, so he shows up when he’s scheduled to show up.”
Adding a final word on the entire controversy, Johnson makes clear that he’s an open book: “I’ve said a thousand times: ‘Hey, I’m here. Come and ask me. And I’ll tell you the truth.’ ”
What Red One’s Budget Means For The Film’s Chances Of Success
Will The Dwayne Johnson Movie Break Even?
$250 million is a major budget for any movie that’s not a superhero movie. IfRed Onewas made at $250 million, which neither Johnson nor Kasdan address,it could be looking at a break-even point of between $500 million and $625 million. Though Johnson remains one of the biggest movie stars on the planet, his track record at the box office as a leading man is somewhat spotty.Black Adam, for example, which was supposed to be his major foray into the DC universe, was at best underwhelming, grossing $393 million worldwide.
Red One Cast Guide: Who’s Joining Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans In The Star-Studded Holiday Comedy
Red One is Prime’s upcoming holiday action movie, and not only does it star Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson, but it has a great supporting cast too.
Johnson’s last real box office hit wasJumanji: The Next Levelin 2019, soRed Oneis actually set to be an interesting test for the actor’s bankability. Reports of Johnson’s behavior are unlikely to have any real impact, but early signs are still mixed.Red Onereviewshave been overwhelmingly negative from critics thus far, and the film has only 36% onRotten Tomatoes.Critical response isn’t always indicative of box office performance, however, andRed One’s early numbers from oversees are relatively promising, with the Christmas movie having grossed $26.6 million already before its domestic release.
Our Take On Johnson’s Red One Set Behavior
Audiences Probably Won’t Care Either Way
It’s likely that the average movie-goer isn’t aware of the reports of Johnson’s on-set behavior, but it probably wouldn’t matter if they were. Will Smith, for example, was thought to be risky as a leading man after his infamous slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022, but the success ofBad Boys: Ride or Diethis summer proves that Smith’s star power remains as strong as ever.
Even though urinating in bottles is admittedly quite strange, Johnson’s punctuality didn’t seem to be an issue on set. If it had been, Smith’s “comeback” proves it likely wouldn’t have impacted how or whether audiences engage withRed Oneanyway.
Red One
Cast
After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a thrilling, globe-spanning mission to save Christmas. This action-packed holiday adventure mixes comedy and festive magic, with an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons.
