Acclaimed actor Dwayne Johnson furthers his long-standing relationship with the House of Mouse thanks to a new deal. Johnson’s production imprint, Seven Bucks, inks a new film agreement with Disney.
According to Variety, Seven Bucks Productions has signed a new multi-year first-look film deal with Disney to develop theatrical and streaming features. The production imprint, co-founded by Johnson and Garcia, will collaborate with Disney across all their divisions thanks to the deal. Additionally, the agreement is a potential vehicle for Johnson to star in more projects with the company and for his likeness to be used in their theme parks.
Seven Bucks have maintained a good rapport with Disney throughout its 12-year existence, having collaborated on Jungle Cruise and Disney+’s Behind the Attraction. Furthermore, the Disney-owned sports network, ESPN, is a broadcast partner for the United Football League (UFL), co-owned by Johnson, Garcia and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners.
Dwayne Johnson Is Working on Multiple Moana Projects
Johnson is currently working on the Moana live-action film and the animated sequel, which Disney surprisingly announced in February. Moana 2 sees Auli’i Cravalho return as the eponymous character, while Johnson reprises his role from the first film as Maui. However, while Johnson will feature in the live-action pic, Cravalho won’t appear as Moana, with Australian teenage actor Catherine Laga’aia cast to portray the titular strong-willed daughter of a Polynesian chief.
The Moana sequel was initially intended to become an animated series before Disney made the surprise announcement. After debuting a teaser at CinemaCon in April, Moana 2 sparked further anticipation, with its recent trailer setting Disney viewership records amid hopes the company can turn around its recent box-office fortunes. The Moana 2 plot sees the main character voyage on a journey after “receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors” and that she’s “in search of people beyond the shores of Motunui.” Meanwhile, Johnson recently revealed in a behind-the-scenes video that production for the Moana live-action sequel will begin this fall. The first Moana film, released in 2016, became a smash hit for Disney, earning over $687 million at the global box office and a 96% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Johnson is currently on the sidelines recovering from an elbow injury he sustained while filming his A24 sports drama, The Smashing Machine, which sees him portray titular mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr. Johnson stars in the movie alongside Jungle Cruise castmate and Oscar-nominated actor Emily Blunt, who plays Mark’s then-wife Dawn Staples.
Moana 2 opens in theaters on Nov. 27, while the live-action Moana premieres on Jul. 10, 2026.
