The former wrestling foes will be working together on a new thriller, based off of a novel written by the author who also penned the 'Bourne' series.
Dwayne Johnson has found the star of his next film: former wrestling rival John Cena.
Johnson announced on Instagram on Monday that he will be producing The Janson Directive, a film based off the novel of the same name written by Robert Ludlum, author of the famous Bourne series. And Johnson was clearly excited to announce that Cena would play the movie's lead, Paul Janson, an ex-Navy SEAL drawn into an international conspiracy.
"I found my star. And the star of Janson Directive is going to be my good buddy, John Cena," Johnson announced on Instagram. "I've known john for years, he's so excited to play the role, I'm excited for him, he's committed."
The two go back years from their professional wrestling days, and Johnson recalled one particular tale involving a marathon wrestling match together.
"Our history goes way back. We once wrestled a 45-minute Wrestlemania match and at the 15-minute mark the top of my quadriceps and my adductor tendons were ripped from my pelvis," he said. "Excruciating pain, I couldn't feel my legs, had to wrestle for 30 more minutes. Afterward John comes back with two shots of moonshine, says, 'Here, this will kill the pain.'"
The two have kept up their wrestling rivalry in playful ways, with the two trading barbs earlier this month on consecutive appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“When you do see him, just send him my love and I know he’ll be on the show," Johnson told Kimmel, knowing that Cena would be on the next day. "And say, ‘Listen, DJ always wants to remind you that if he ever acts up, I will knock his teeth so far down his throat that he’ll stick a toothbrush up his a** to brush it.’”
Cena responded.
“I’m not gonna take that!” he shouted, before joking, “Listen up, Dwayne Johnson, if that is your real name. Everybody around the world knows that your first name is ‘T’ and your last name is ‘Herock.’ You just pronounce it all stupid and that gets me even more pissed off.”
He added, for good measure, “So your threat to me is you want to clean my butt? So the question I have for you, T-Herock, is – do you really want to smell what John Cena’s putting out?”
But really, the two are actually very, very close friends and their upcoming movie won't get in the way of that very real friendship, right?
"As your producer, if you screw up," Johnson ended his Monday announcement, chuckling, "I'm coming to set, BANG, people's elbow."
For more on their playful trash talking, watch the video below.
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