Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are already setting their sights on their next big collaboration, even as they promote their latest film, The Smashing Machine.
At the Monday premiere of the A24 biopic about UFC legend Mark Kerr, which opens in theaters this Friday, Blunt revealed that she and Johnson are developing a new project described as a Hawaiian-set Goodfellas.
Speaking to Deadline on the red carpet at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Blunt shared her excitement for the untitled film.
“We’re developing it right now. It’s a really astonishing story,” she said.
“It’s the last great American mob story, and I can’t believe it hasn’t been told yet. It’s a terribly exciting role for [Johnson] to kind of dig into. So, it’s being written, we’re working on it. And that’s the wonderful part, is building it.”
The story, penned by Nick Bilton, is based on the rise of Wilford “Nappy” Pulawa, the brutal crime boss who led Hawaii’s largest organized crime syndicate, The Company, during the 1970s.
Often compared to Robert De Niro’s character in Goodfellas, Pulawa maintained control through violence and intimidation, with operations that included gambling, human trafficking, marijuana trafficking and labour corruption.
He was eventually sentenced to 15 years for tax evasion in 1973 and released in 1984, though his legacy remained tied to a bloody chapter in Hawaii’s history.
Producers attached to the project include Martin Scorsese, Johnson, Blunt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bilton, Dany Garcia, Lisa Frechette and LBI Entertainment’s Rick Yorn and Chris Donnelly.
The pitch began making waves earlier this year, with Disney moving quickly toward a deal.
For Johnson, the role marks a departure into darker territory, portraying a ruthless mob boss battling rivals, triads and even the U.S. military for control of the islands.
With Scorsese’s involvement and DiCaprio on board as producer, the film is already shaping up to be one of Hollywood’s most anticipated crime dramas in development.