Dwayne Johnson In Talks With Universal Pictures For Robert Ludlum’s ‘The Janson Directive’

Dwayne Johnson is currently in preliminary talks with movie giant Universal Pictures to discuss plans to create a film adaptation of Robert Ludlum’s The Janson Directive. According to Variety, Johnson might star and produce the film, if negotiations between the wrestler-turned-actor and Universal goes well.

Universal Pictures, who began distributing Ludlum’s Bourne series in 2002, recently purchased the rights to The Janson Directive. Film execs have been eyeing Johnson to star in the film for months, according to reports, and talks are expected to have fruitful results. According to a few sources, the film will likely be similar to the Bourne franchise and might also turn out into a series.

If that happens, Janson would be Johnson’s third movie franchise, following Fast and Furious and G.I. Joe. Although there hasn’t been any official confirmations, Johnson’s upcoming Hercules might also turn into a franchise, if the movie proves successful in the box office.

Fast and Furious 7 is set to be released next April, while G.I. Joe 3 is reportedly one writer away from actual production. There are even hints of G.I. Joe–Transformer cross-over possibilities that are currently circulating in the internet. Despite numerous commitments keeping The Rock busy, he is evidently not shying away from possibly starring and even producing a Robert Ludlum adaptation.

No one has been tapped to direct or write the film adaptation, although netizens have been speculating possible candidates for the behind-the-scene positions. There are rumors that Doug Liman, who directed Bourne Identity in 2002, is being tapped to turn another Ludlum novel into film. Paul Greengrass and Tony Gilroy are also popular speculations.

In other news, Dwayne Johnson recently revealed that playing Hercules has become the “most physically challenging role” he has ever undertaken in his entire career. In an interview with Hello Magazine, Johnson confessed:

“It was the most physically challenging and most demanding role I’ve ever played. I wanted to transform my body, and luckily I had a great diet coach and strength trainer.”

“The most challenging part is that we shot for months in the heat of Budapest, so you get your body to a certain peak. Then you need to keep it at that level for months, because everything has to match from day one to day 95.”

Posthumously published in 2002, The Janson Directive novel follows the story of Paul Janson, an ex-Navy SEAL and former POW turned corporate security consultant who undertakes a mysterious rescue mission that will stir the U.S. government’s well-kept secrets.

[Image from Steve via Flickr]