Universal Pictures announced a summer 2020 release date for Red Notice, a blockbuster thriller that will star Dwayne Johnson.
Rawson Marshall Thurber will direct Johnson after previously working with him on 2016’s Central Intelligence and 2018’s Skyscraper, a China-set thriller that will drop on July 13. Universal launched promotion for Thurber’s Skyscraper with a Super Bowl trailer earlier this year, and it will be the second action-packed film lead by Johnson in 2018 - the first being Warner Bros’ Rampage. Thurber has also directed the comedies Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) and We’re the Millers (2013).
As announced by Universal Pictures, Red Notice will open in theaters on Friday June 12, 2020. Red Notice’s budget will reportedly cost Universal around $125-$150 million, with Johnson earning the biggest paycheck of his acting career with it crossing the $20 million benchmark. He’ll star as an Interpol agent tracking down an international art thief that is described as the most wanted art thief in the world.
Based on Johnson’s past success with Thurber, it seems likely that Red Notice will dominate the 2020 competition and further elevate his status within pop culture. Central Intelligence more than quadrupled its $50 million budget, and the success of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle - which has become Sony’s second highest-grossing movie ever - has proved once again Johnson is a powerhouse at the box office.
What can we expect from Red Notice? Well, it may depend on Skyscraper’s success, and whether moviegoers vibe with the hostage-action-thriller narrative and supporting cast. Even if the film doesn’t make quadruple its budget, and even if co-stars Pablo Schreiber and Neve Campbell don’t necessarily have A-level star power, Johnson’s continuous momentum and reputation suggest that moviegoers will pay to see Red Notice in 2020. And why not, as Johnson can transcend above the weakest of plots - he seems to be loved by audiences of all ages. Now that’s talent.
The real question is this: What comes after Red Notice in 2020? The movie could potentially be set up for a sequel, or even as the launchpad for an entire franchise. Or - however much of a longshot it may be - perhaps Johnson will feel like there’s nothing left to accomplish and retire, or, more likely, he’ll explore other opportunities in the entertainment industry. The sky is truly the limit, and let’s hope that Johnson learned a few things behind the camera from Thurber. Rather than working as United States President Johnson, a career as director Johnson seems more likely.
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Source: Universal Pictures
