Mar 26, 2013 03:27 PM EST

Dwayne Johnson to Star in New Hercules Film

HOLLYWOOD, CA (March 21, 2013) - Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios announced today that Golden Globe-winner Ian McShane ("Deadwood," PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES), Rufus Sewell (ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER), Joseph Fiennes (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, "American Horror Story"), Rebecca Ferguson (The BBC's "The White Queen"), Aksel Hennie (HEADHUNTERS) and Academy Award®-nominee John Hurt (IMMORTALS, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS) have joined the cast of the upcoming film HERCULES, starring Dwayne Johnson and directed by Brett Ratner. The film is set to begin production in May.

Based on Radical Studio's graphic novel "Hercules: The Thracian Wars," the ensemble-action film is a revisionist take on the classic myth set in a grounded world where the supernatural does not exist. The screenplay is by Ryan Condal and Evan Spiliotopoulos.
Producers are Beau Flynn, Barry Levine and Brett Ratner; executive producers are Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey and Jesse Berger.
"We are thrilled to surround Dwayne with an ensemble cast featuring legendary actors as well as some of the finest emerging talents working today," said Jonathan Glickman, MGM's President, Motion Picture Group. "We are anxious to get production underway on what promises to be a high-action film that works around the globe."

HERCULES marks the reinvigorated MGM's second original project, in addition to the previously announced film THE MACHINE with Vin Diesel scheduled to begin production later this year. The studio has several films slated for release this year including another Paramount partnership with GI JOE: RETALIATION set for release March 28, CARRIE with Sony's Screen Gems due October 18 and THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG with New Line/Warner Bros. set for December 13.
McShane is represented by ICM, Gallant Management, Independent and Nelson, Davis, Wetzstein; Sewell by WME, Parseghian Planco and Julian Belfrage Associates; Fiennes by WME, Anonymous and Roger Charteris; Ferguson by Tavistock Wood, London and Actors in Scandinavia; Hennie by WME and Untitled Entertainment; and Hurt by Independent Talent, 42 and John Crosby Management. Adam Rosenberg, MGM's Executive Vice President of Production, will oversee the project for the studio.

HERCULES will be distributed by Paramount Pictures on August 1, 2014.