Hmm… the short story goes… back in 2006, it was announced that Terrence Howard would reteam with his Hustle And Flow director, Craig Brewer, to produce a film based on the life of one of the few successful black country music stars, Charley Pride, with Howard in the title role.

Fast-forward 5 years later, and little has developed since the initial announcement, to really no one’s surprise. Certainly not mine.

This morning, I read THIS article on New Brunswick, Canada-based paper, the Telegraph-Journal, which includes an interview with Pride himself, who provides an update on the project… specifically saying that the Howard/Brewer film “got fumbled… New management took over the studio that was ready to begin site work on it… And a decision was made to put all their resources behind thrillers – fast actioners. They felt that was where the big box office money was then.“

However, as Pride adds, “Now it’s back on track again but with action and comedy star Dwayne Johnson portraying me in the title role… Terrence, it seems, is tied up on other involvements for a few years.“

The interviewer expresses some surprise, stating, “Wow!… Johnson. The Rock! He’ll do a way more forceful job playing you! A pro-athletic background like yours and a lot of the same charisma! That’s really exciting!“

And Pride replied to that with, “I think so now… Terrence is no doubt a more in-depth actor academically, but Dwayne is such a force on screen. It startled me a little at first, but he flew down to Dallas and spent a day with me just sitting, talking recently. And when he left it was like parting with an old friend. We had such similar views on so many things.“

I think “startled” would be an understatement in my case, and I’m having a really hard time picturing Dwayne “Can You Smell What The Rock Is Cooking” Johnson as Charley Pride… not that I’m some Charley Pride aficionado. I’m not. But in watching a few videos with him performing, before I typed this up, in trying to picture Dwayne Johnson in the part (the anti-thesis of Terrence Howard, who I think would have actually been a good choice for the role), I just couldn’t see it.

But maybe you guys can help me see it… 🙂

I haven’t seen this mentioned anywhere else, so it may eventually be proven incorrect; but it’s worth noting some connections here: first, Pride was interviewed by the Canadian paper, because he will be performing there (Saint John, New Brunswick) next month; also, as the interviewer notes, both Pride and Johnson have pro-athlete backgrounds – Dwayne in football, Pride in baseball.

Still… we’ll see how this one develops… if it does.

I’m working to confirm…