Quake escape

SAN ANDREAS | Dwayne Johnson is here to rescue the disaster movie.

Dwayne Johnson is unstoppable. Not content performing the role of ‘franchise Viagra’ on the likes of Fast & Furious and G.I. Joe, he also has a HBO series coming up ( Ballers) and his own reality show. Also on the cards is Shazam!, his own comic-book movie in which he’s set to inject some good ol’ fashioned fun into the DC universe as the villainous Black Adam.

Before all that, Johnson will next work his magic on San Andreas, a modern take on that ’70s staple that hasn’t been done right for years: the disaster movie. The Rock has been putting in the work to convince as helicopter pilot Ray, a fireman caught up in the biggest earthquake of all time. “Puttin’ in a lot of hard ass work and proud to play my next role...” admits Johnson. “Smoke, debris, dirt and dust... welcome to the set of San Andreas.” This is probably the closest the former wrestler will get to playing ‘the everyman’.

As is essential for a disaster movie, Ray’s family will be in peril, with his estranged wife Carla Gugino and daughter Alexandra Daddario among those caught in the rubble. Gugino has previously starred alongside Johnson in Race To Witch Mountain and Faster, and Daddario has next big thing written all over her: the Percy Jackson actress had a breakout turn in True Detective, and is now being linked to every role out there, including the title role of Jessica Jones in the Marvel/Netflix series. Also on hand to help puncture the testosterone associated with the genre is Kylie Minogue: despite the title, the film shot in her native Australia for the most part (before heading on location in California for the final stretch).

If any more evidence was needed that this could be a surprise hit, it’s directed by Journey 2: The Mysterious Island helmer Brad Peyton. He’s not a household name, although his previous team-up with Johnson did turn what should have been a disposable sequel into an unexpected treat (and a box-office hit). Don’t rule out a seismic impact for this one... MM

ETA | 29 Ma y 2015 San Andreas opens next summer.