Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans' upcoming movie Red One reportedly faces delay over the former being "chronically late"

Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans' highly-anticipated Christmas action film Red One is facing a significant delay, with reports suggesting that Johnson's behavior on set may allegedly be a contributing factor.

According to The Wrap, sources close to the production have shared that Johnson was "chronically late" and often arrived seven to eight hours late or missed entire days of shooting, causing major production issues and budget overruns. These delays reportedly pushed the film's cost past the $250 million mark.

Directed by Jake Kasdan (Jumanji: The Next Level), Red One is a co-production of Amazon MGM Studios, Seven Bucks Productions (Johnson's production company), The Detective Agency, and Chris Morgan Productions.

While initial reports attributed the delay to the 2023 Writer's Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strikes, The Wrap's investigation highlighted production challenges as the culprit. These challenges reportedly include Johnson's alleged tardiness, producer inexperience, and a ballooning budget reaching a quarter-of-a-billion dollars.

One insider source went so far as to say—

"The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late."

Amazon Studios has yet to officially comment on the reasons behind the delay. A spokesperson for Johnson has denied the allegations of unprofessionalism. The film is currently scheduled for a November 2024 release.

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Dwayne Johnson's alleged tardiness throws Red One into disarray

Dwayne Johnson's highly anticipated Christmas action film Red One has become embroiled in controversy, with reports alleging the actor's unpunctuality causing significant delays and budget overruns.

The Wrap reported that Johnson's unpunctuality is apparently not an isolated incident. Several individuals associated with Red One have alleged the actor of habitual unprofessionalism.

Previous reports have suggested similar issues concerning the actor's lack of punctuality arose during the filming of other projects. Further, the financial impact was substantial as well, with three insiders claiming Johnson's tardiness apparently ballooned the film's budget by at least $50 million.

The actor's behavior reportedly affected crew morale as well. One insider described a situation where Johnson wouldn't use public restrooms and instead opted to relieve himself in a Voss water bottle, expecting his team or a production assistant to dispose it.

These allegations extend beyond Red One. Sources who worked with Johnson on HBO's Ballers corroborated the claims, stating that his unpunctuality was a recurring issue. A producer on Ballers recounted instances where Johnson would arrive three to four hours late, leaving a crew of over 100 people waiting for no reason.

Similar stories emerged from the set of Rampage, where two insiders claimed Johnson averaged four to five hours of lateness daily.

The reasons behind Dwayne Johnson's alleged behavior remain unclear. The Wrap suggests it may stem from his unwillingness to work a full shooting day, despite factoring in his well-documented daily workout routine that takes about three hours.

However, Dwayne Johnson's representatives strongly deny all accusations. A spokesperson for Amazon, the studio behind Red One, refuted the claims, stating that Johnson and his production company, Seven Bucks, were "incredible partners." They emphasized the positive reception for the film's test screenings and denied any delays caused by being late or inexperience.

The contrasting narratives leave a cloud of uncertainty over the true nature of events during the filming of Red One.

The coming months will likely reveal more details as the film's release nears.

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Dwayne Johnson faced similar problems with Vin Diesel and Ryan Reynolds

Dwayne Johnson's punctuality issues reportedly extend beyond Red One, causing friction on previous projects, according to The People. Insiders allege Johnson's tardiness sparked feuds with Vin Diesel and Ryan Reynolds, leading to production delays and tension on set. One source told People in 2023—

"Vin has been having problems with The Rock because The Rock keeps showing up late for production, sometimes he doesn't show up at all, and he's delaying the production."

The reported inexperience of lead producer Hiram Garcia and some Amazon executives may have hampered their ability to manage a large-scale production.

Despite the controversy, Dwayne Johnson's representatives maintain his innocence. With contrasting narratives and an upcoming release date of November 15, 2024, only time will tell the full story behind Red One.