Darren Aronofsky is in early talks to direct Dwayne Johnson in “Breakthrough” at A24.
Should the deal close, it would the second project Aronofsky would do at the indie label, following 2022’s “The Whale,” which garnered a Best Actor Academy Award win for Brendan Fraser.
According to the project’s logline: “In turn-of-the-millennium Southern California, an alienated young man comes under the influence of a motivational guru, whose intoxicating charm masks his morally questionable methods of manipulation and his own concealed darkness.” Zeke Goodman wrote the script
Johnson is playing a supporting role in the film. He will next be seen in “The Smashing Machine,” also at A24 which will be in theaters on Oct. 3.
Stacey Sher’s Shiny Penny Productions will produce alongside Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, with Jacob Epstein and Justin Wolf to exec produce via Lighthouse Management and Media.
Aronofsky’s next project is Sony’s “Caught Stealing,” featuring Austin Butler and Zoe Kravitz, which releases in August. Aronofsky is repped at CAA.
A24 had no comment.
Deadline first reported the news.
