Dwayne Johnson is joining Josh Hutcherson in New Line/Warner Bros.’ Journey to the Center of the Earth sequel Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, reports Heat Vision.
Brad Peyton will direct the film, to be produced by Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson of Contrafilm, as well as Charlotte Huggins. Michael Bostick and Evan Turner of Walden Media are executive producing.
Johnson will play the boyfriend of Hutcherson’s mom, who Hutcherson is forced to bring on a trip to a mythical and monstrous island to find his missing grandfather. The script is loosely based on Jules Verne’s “The Mysterious Island.”
The trade adds that three other characters will be introduced in the movie and cast during the next few weeks. Production scheduled to star in late October in North Carolina and Hawaii.
In the first film, Brendan Fraser played scientist Trevor Anderson, who was an uncle of Hutcherson’s character. Like that movie, which earned $242 million worldwide, the follow-up will be shot and released in 3D. The studio is targeting a September 23, 2011 release.
