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Dwayne Johnson is set to star in and produce the new action-drama, “Free Byrd,” the latest film from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s Artists Equity.
“Free Byrd” stars Johnson as a Las Vegas motorcycle stuntman who conceals
his dementia diagnosis from everyone, including his mechanic brother, as he risks everything on one last jump. The film, the official logline explains, “examines and confronts the mind’s vast mysteries and the beauty and power of asking for help before it’s too late.”
Greg Kwedar — a back-to-back Academy Award nominee for “Sing Sing” and “Train Dreams” — will direct “Free Byrd” and rewrite the screenplay. The script was originated by Jon Boyer and featured on the Black List. “The Peanut Butter Falcon” writer-directors Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson penned an earlier draft.
News of the project comes as Johnson, a recent Golden Globe nominee for “The Smashing Machine,” prepares to launch his latest film, Disney’s live-action “Moana.” Johnson will next star in “Jumanji: Open World” and the upcoming “Lizard Music,” written and directed by Benny Safdie.
“’Free Byrd’ is a gift in many ways,” said Johnson. “Emblematic of life’s sacred beauty, as well as life’s harsh and callous reality. The subject matter of ‘Free Byrd’ has become deeply personal to Greg Kwedar and myself as we’ve started to unpack this fateful journey together. Artists Equity have been incredible filmmaking and artistic partners, who not only share Greg’s vision for the film, but who are all connected to our story in their own unique and personal ways. When the mind of a loved one begins to slip away, life sure takes on a whole new meaning.”
Academy Award nominee Gil Netter (“Life of Pi,” “The Blind Side”) originally brought “Free Byrd” to Artists Equity and will serve as producer. Also producing are Fifth Season (which previously partnered with Artists Equity on “Animals” for Netflix); Johnson for Seven Bucks Productions; and Kwedar and fellow two-time Academy Award nominee Clint Bentley, for Ethos.
“This is a project that all of us at the company have connected with personally,” said Affleck and Damon, Artists Equity’s CEO and Chief Content Officer, respectively. “Greg is one of the most exciting writer-directors working today, and Dwayne is an extraordinary talent and person. We are extremely excited that they have chosen to make this with us and very much look forward to sharing the finished film with audiences.”
