Dwayne Johnson is bringing some of the most iconic monster trucks in the world to the big screen.
This weekend at Disney’s D23 convention in Anaheim, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was on hand to announce Monster Jam, a new movie based on monster truck drivers and borrowing the branding of a popular series of competitive motorsports events featuring monster trucks that have been touring the U.S. and beyond since 1992. At Monster Jam events, monster trucks take part in three forms of competition — racing, two-wheel skills, and freestyle — although it isn’t immediately clear how closely the movie will mirror that format. On the other hand, the Monster Jam website characterizes the movie as “set in the Monster Jam universe,” so maybe pretty closely.
In between the main events, Monster Jam shows have other competitions that test driving skill and ability to create spectacle (ever see a guy do a bunch of donuts in a massive truck?). One thing that will be interesting to see is whether the movie incorporates a car-crushing competition. It’s an iconic part of monster truck iconography, but something Monster Jam retired in 2019.
“We got an opportunity here that we could create something that is immersive and cool and fun, and also a live-action experience for our families all around the world, from the POV of these incredible, iconic monster trucks and their very eccentric and crazy drivers,” Johnson said on Friday night. “Ladies and gentlemen, Monster Jam is gonna be a heck of a ride.”
“Together, The Rock and Monster Jam are truly As Big As It Gets!,” said Juliette Feld Grossman, CEO of Monster Jam parent company Feld Entertainment (via the Monster Jam website). “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Dwayne Johnson and Walt Disney Studios to take moviegoers into the world of Monster Jam on a high-octane, live-action adventure that will bring the larger-than-life Monster Jam trucks and personalities from the stadium to the screen.”
Seeing Disney team with Monster Jam is interesting, in that it feels like the reason is probably so that they can use some of the instantly recognizable vehicles associated with the brand. Names like Gravedigger, Earth Shaker, and El Toro Loco are iconic within the monster truck fandom — and even recognizable to casual fans who don’t follow motorsports.
If you’re interested in getting a sense for the Monster Jam brand ahead of the movie, some of their events are available on the company’s official YouTube page and some have even been streamed live. You can see one above.
