HBO has ordered Dwayne Johnson’s Ballers to series – the half-hour dramedy project we first alerted you to in May.
Johnson (an athlete himself – he played college football, and was a WWF star), will star in a series which centers on the lives of retired athletes living in Miami.
He’ll be joined by Omar Benson Miller, John David Washington (Denzel Washington’s son in his first major acting role), Rob Corddry, Troy Garity, Donovan Carter, Jazmyn Simon, Taylor Cole and LeToya Luckett.
John David Washington, also a former college football player who had a stint in the NFL and has now turned to acting, following in his father’s (and sister’s) footsteps.
Also Donovan Carter, a former college football player as well, joins the cast as well.
Ballers is executive produced by Johnon’s Pain & Gain co-star Mark Wahlberg, with Stephen Levinson (Entourage) penning the script and executive producing as well.
Peter Berg is directing the pilot.
By the way, there’s also a comedy feature film titled Ballers on the horizon, which Kevin Hart has signed up to star in opposite NBA pro LeBron James, in a comedy feature, set up at Universal Pictures, with Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Michael Rosenberg producing. The film will follow a man (Hart) who really wants to be known as something other than the brother of an NBA superstar (James), and gets his chance to prove himself when he and some friends attend a fantasy basketball camp in Miami. Naturally, hijinx and hilarity ensue.
Ballers on the big and small screen, coming soon.
Johnson also has a new project set up at TNT titled Wake Up Call (working title), a reality TV series in which he’ll lend a helping hand to everyday people who are facing enormous challenges in their lives.