Dwayne Johnson has signed on to star as Hawaiian king Kamehameha in the historical epic
"The King". Freshly acquired by Warner Bros and New Line, the film will be directed by
Robert Zemeckis (
"Cast Away",
"Forrest Gump") from a screenplay written by
"Braveheart" scribe
Randall Wallace. The film doesn't have a release date, but production is expected to begin in 2020.
Kamehameha I, or Kamehameha the Great, was the founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He succeeded in uniting the warring Hawaiian islands after several battles during the 1790s, fulfilling the prophecy that surrounded his fabled life since birth. Johnson said the following about his casting:
"From the day I began my Hollywood career (2001), my dream was to bring this legacy to life".
There have been previous attempts to film Kamehameha's story in the early 2000s, including one in which Johnson would have starred, written by former Maui resident
Greg Poirier (
"Rosewood"), which was picked up by Columbia Pictures but never produced. At the time, objections were raised regarding Johnson not being Hawaiian (he is half Samoan and half African-American). Social media responses today featured some of the same objections, but are largely positive. It seems that
Jason Momoa was regarded as a favourite for the part.
In response to some of the doubts expressed online, Johnson released a statement in which he stated:
"The response to our King Kamehameha announcement has been incredible worldwide. A true privilege and dream for me to bring King Kamehameha’s legacy to life on the silver screen. The cultural and historical significance of this role, I hold with the highest respect and reverence; and, I’m honored to share the epic story of our people and culture with the world. Imua!".
