NBC Developing Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson-Inspired Sitcom, ‘Young Rock’

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is bringing his talents to NBC. On Saturday, NBC announced that the busiest man in showbusiness will star in a new series called Young Rock inspired by his own life. Johnson has committed to appearing in every episode, and each episode will center on a particular moment in Johnson’s formative years.

NBC gave the project an 11-episode series order. The pilot was written by Nahnatchka Khan and Jeff Chiang, who are both executive producers on the series.

Other executive producers include Johnson, Danny Garcia, Hiram Garzia, Brian Gewirtz and Jennier Carreras. Universal Television, Seven Bucks Productions and Khan’s Fierce Baby Productions are producing the series.

Khan is best known as the creator of Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23, which ran for two seasons on ABC, and Fresh Off The Boat, which is now in its sixth and final season for ABC. She will serve as showrunner on Young Rock.

NBC made the announcement during its panel at the Television Critics Association press tour Saturday. Although Johnson was not there in person, he appeared via FaceTime, noting that the series is inspired by his “wild and unpredictable and unbelievable childhood,” reports USA Today.

“I’ve told many many stories, many of them unbelievable, but all of them true,” Johnson said. “You’ll find Young Rock wreaking havoc in the streets of Hawaii, getting arrested doing a lot of things I shouldn’t do. We were evicted off the island and moved, to all places, Nashville, Tennessee.”

“Imagine me being in downtown Nashville, listening to country music at 15 years-old, buying my first car from a crackhead for $70,” Johnson continued. “We go into my high school years as Young Rock, and my role as a University of Miami football star, until I got beaten out of my position by a young man named Warren Sapp, who went on to become one of the greatest defensive tackles of all time.”

Johnson said the series could also show his early days as a professional wrestler, before he joined the WWE. He went on to compare his life to the movie Forrest Gump because of the famous people he met throughout his life.

“Now what’s crazy about this whole thing… the confluence of wild personalities that came in and out of my life during these times, all these years, are just fascinating,” he continued. “From my heroes Andre the Giant to Muhammad Ali to Ronald Reagan … It was almost as if I’d been told I had the childhood of Forrest Gump, where people weave in and out of my life.”

Johnson would not say exactly how he will be seen on screen in every episode, but said they found a “really cool, fun creative way to weave me into the show.”

Johnson also works with NBC on The Titan Games, which was renewed for a second season. He can now be seen on the big screen in Jumanji: The Next Level, which has grossed over $621.8 million worldwide. Johnson also starred as himself in Fighting With My Family and played Hobbs in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. His next movie, Disney’s Jungle Cruise, opens on July 24 and his long-gestating Black Adam movie for Warner Bros. is now scheduled for Dec. 22, 2021.

Photo credit: Randy Holmes/ABC via Getty Images