Dwayne Johnson and JK Simmons make the North Pole look like it’s gearing up for war in a photo from Red One.
By Sean Thiessen | Published
Dwayne Johnson has shared a new image from the set of the upcoming Amazon Prime Video action movie Christmas The Red, and in doing so, hinted at new plot details for the film. The photo shows Johnson walking alongside JK Simmons, who plays a buff, leather-clad iteration of Santa Claus in the film, through an ornate hallway consistent with the architecture of the North Pole headquarters revealed in previous behind-the-scenes footage.
Set photos from The Red make Dwayne Johnson and JK Simmons look like members of a North Pole biker gang. Their heavy equipment and athletic physique highlight a utilitarian approach to the Christmas gift delivery operation, and Johnson’s caption on the post holds another clue.
Johnson began the caption by saying, “It’s an honor to have his six.” He went on to praise JK Simmons and hype the film, then signed the legend off as “Commander of the ELF”. .
Could Johnson redefine what it means to be an elf at the North Pole? It’s hard to say, because the plot details of the film have been more secret than the gifts under the Christmas tree. The only real clues the public has received come from Dwayne Johnson’s social media accounts.
What has been revealed is the film’s cast (via IMDB). In addition to Dwayne Johnson and JK Simmons, the film will star Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Nick Kroll, Kiernan Shipka, Mary Elizabeth Ellis and Kristofer Hivju. The nature of the cast’s roles is still murky, but Evans appears to be playing an outsider at the North Pole who will spend a lot of screen time with Johnson.
The film is directed by Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle director Jake Kasdan from a script by Fast and the Furious franchise writer Chris Morgan. With this range, The Red is sure to be a great action-packed and comedic movie. Dwayne Johnson also claimed on social media that The Red will launch a franchise, so assuming the movie does well for Amazon, plenty more Christmas action is likely on the way.
Dwayne Johnson has had mixed success when it comes to franchises. His Jumanji films have been massive hits, and another is on the way. The recently published black adam suffered a less exciting fate, and Johnson’s very public plans for his DC character to be in the spotlight in the DCU seem to be slipping through his fingers.
The Red, on the other hand, has all the ingredients for a successful franchise launch. The film’s cast is made up of bankable stars and its team is made up of seasoned professionals in the franchise film market. The budget hasn’t been made public, but it’s big (rumor has it Dwayne Johnson is set to make $50 million on the film), so Amazon will need all the help it can get to make it happen. The Red a profitable business for the studio.
Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans are still hot in Hollywood, and more are on the way. With a reinforced cast by JK Simmons and Lucy Liu, The Red has some serious talent in his hands. Amazon will deliver The Red during the 2023 holiday season on Prime Video.
