Dwayne Johnson will have a formidable co-star for the upcoming action comedy Red Notice as Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman herself, has officially been cast as the female lead.
Red Notice is the latest collaboration between Johnson and director Rawson Marshall Thurber. In 2016, they worked together on Central Intelligence and reunited for the action drama Skyscraper, which will have a wide theatrical release on July 13. Last February, Universal Pictures and Legendary Pictures secured Red Notice’s rights after an intense bidding war, and a 2020 release date has already been officially announced. Just last month, Johnson named his top choice for a female co-star, and today his wish has been granted.
Per Deadline, Gadot will star opposite Johnson for the international heist film Red Notice. This marks the Israeli actress’ first starring role post-Wonder Woman, a film that made her a universal icon and legitimate A-list star. Red Notice’s director reportedly flew to London recently to pitch Gadot, this coming after she signed on for Warner Bros’ My Dearest Fidel. With Johnson already set to earn $22 million, Thurber now has another high-profile lead who will undoubtedly draw in various demographics. Gadot is currently filming Wonder Woman 2, Patty Jenkins’ sequel that will be released in late 2019.
While Red Notice’s third lead hasn’t been revealed, Johnson has been on record about his admiration for Chris Pratt - the Avengers: Infinity War actor who was partially responsible for overtaking Johnson’s film Rampage at the box office last April. On Instagram, Johnson posted a thank you video to fans for Rampage’s two-week run at #1 before commenting on a possible collaboration with Pratt. Johnson even used a chalkboard to sell the idea by writing “Rock & Pratt” while using the hashtag #RockPratt to amplify the hype. Now that he’s got a DC superstar on board for Red Notice with Gadot, it may not take much effort to attract a Marvel icon like Pratt.
Theoretically, Johnson and Gadot don’t necessarily need Pratt for Red Notice, although his casting obviously wouldn’t hurt. All three are exceptional comedic performers with a proven track record of carrying physically demanding films. But just as moviegoers once questioned Gadot’s casting as Wonder Woman, it’s likely that some will view her only as Wonder Woman. Still, let’s not forget that she co-starred in four of the Fast & Furious franchise films. On the flipside, Gadot’s 2016 action comedy Keeping Up with the Joneses failed to out-earn its $40 million budget. But - and with all due respect to Gadot’s co-star in that film, Zach Galifianakis - The Rock is a slightly more bankable big screen partner.
MORE: Rampage’s Success Proves Dwayne Johnson Can Sell Any Movie
Source: Deadline
