UPDATE: A new poster has been released as well, it can be seen below.
We’ve already seen one of the two competing Hercules films this year in the form of Renny Harlin’s The Legend Of Hercules. Unfortunately, it was a complete failure, bombing at the box office and receiving scathing reviews from critics. Now, Brett Ratner is looking to deliver his take on the story with Hercules, which stars Dwayne “Franchise Re-Starter” Johnson as the titular hero.
Said to be a more grounded version of the legend and set in a world where “the supernatural does not exist,” the film will see Hercules “travelling with a group of mercenaries and cashing in on his famous name until he’s hired to train an army for an epic battle.” It sounds like an interesting premise, but I think it’s safe to assume that this one is going to be more focused on the action and Johnson’s star power than plot and characters. That being said, the actor seems well aware of the pressure that’s being placed on the film to deliver.
“The No. 1 goal is to make the definitive version of Hercules,” says Johnson. “We know we’re going to be under a microscope.”
Today, the first official images from Hercules were revealed and they show Dwayne Johnson sporting long hair. One shot sees him engaged in battle while the other shows him seemingly locked up in some kind of prison.
They’re not much, but being a big fan of the actor, I’m definitely excited to see him in the role. Hercules really does seem like the kind of character that he was born to play and I think that all signs point to this film being much better than Harlin’s effort. Johnson instantly elevates any project he’s in and casting him here means that the studio will very likely find success at the box office.
Co-starring Joseph Fiennes, John Hurt, Ian McShane, Joe Anderson, Peter Mullan, and Rufus Sewell, Hercules opens on July 25th. Check out the two photos below and let us know if you think Ratner’s film will turn out to be the definitive version that we’ve all been waiting for.
