According to The Wrap, Red One, which was originally scheduled to be released in December 2023, was delayed due to "Johnson’s chronic lateness and lack of professionalism on set." The film, which co-stars Chris Evans and J.K. Simmons, wound up costing the studio over $250 million.
According to more than a dozen insiders "directly involved in the project," The Wrap reported that Dwayne sometimes showed up as much as eight hours late for his call to the set, which forced filmmakers to instead shoot scenes that didn't involve him on those days.
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that Dwayne previously clashed with Ryan Reynolds on the 2021 action comedy Red Notice due to his constant lateness to set, which affected the shooting schedule in 2020 during the pandemic. One day, when Dwayne was five hours late, Ryan had enough and spoke with Dwayne about how his tardiness was affecting the entire shoot, including the COVID protocols that Dwayne had to go through hours after the rest of the cast and crew. Reports vary on how well Dwayne took the dressing down, but by the time the two stars were promoting the movie, they appeared to be on good terms.
The Wrap also reported that on film sets Dwayne urinates in a water bottle to save time, which upset crew members because they were the ones who had to dispose of the waste matter. “On set, away from his trailer, if he needs to pee, he doesn’t go to the public bathroom,” one insider claimed. “He pees in a Voss water bottle and his team or a PA has to dispose of it.”
Dwayne, who once claimed he's "the hardest worker in the room," has developed a reputation for his tardiness and lack of professionalism on set, according to multiple insiders who spoke to The Wrap, with a Red One insider saying, "The only thing Dwayne was consistent at was being chronically late."
He's also been hours late to numerous live commitments, which caused the audience to boo him at one WWE event. He responded to the crowd's anger, asking them, "You’re booing because The Rock was a little late, that’s why you’re booing? was watching YouTube, watching Jalen Hurts lose in the playoffs again."
He added, "You boo because it’s the truth. Now, The Rock has shown up, you got greatness in front of you. You stand there, shut your mouth and enjoy the ride that The Rock is taking you on."
Red One is now in post production and is expected to hit theaters on November 15, 2024. ~Alexandra Heilbron