Jeez, I just talked about this movie the other day RIGHT HERE (an excuse to search for pics of Roselyn Sanchez, really), and it’s already getting delayed before shooting even starts. No, it’s not another case of the CHUD curse (see: Slither, Murderball, Running Scared, etc.) but simply physical limitations being exceeded.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson’s new football movie The Game Plan is going to stay in the locker room for a little while longer — he ruptured his Achilles tendon training for the film, which was scheduled for a Boston shoot this month. A top surgeon is working on the athletic actor’s extremity, but the movie is on hiatus for the time being (which explains why this weekend’s open casting call at Gillette Stadium was canceled) until The Rock stands on two stable feet.
While this is sort of anti-newsworthy in regards to production announcements, I like The Rock and hope he gets back on two good legs soon enough. I know the guy’s got a great movie in him somewhere (The Rundown is still a mountain of fun), but I’m still waiting to see it. And if the Cannes contempt is any indication, Southland Tales unfortunately isn’t it either.
A ruptured Achilles tendon, which is painful just to type (or maybe you saw Pet Sematary or Hostel), is in The Rock’s own words "unfortunately common with this type of activity." Brad Pitt suffered the same injury filming Troy, in which he actually played Achilles, making it so perfectly ironic it had to be contractual.
"I am so appreciative of the outpouring of support that I have received from Disney, and all those involved with this film" spake Rock. "I anticipate that with some TLC, pizza and a lot of donuts, I will be making a speedy recovery and will be able to get myself, and everyone who has been working so hard on this production, back to the business of doing what we love most, making movies."
He did manage to get some pigskin out of his system – Gridiron Gang opens in September.