The Rock To Start 'Walking Tall' For MGM

The 1973 film's premise of a Southern sheriff's mission to remove corruption from his county has been contemporized. In the new version, The Rock's character returns home from serving his country and finds his small town infected by drugs, violence and general menace. Like the original character of Buford Pusser, who was played by Joe Don Baker, the protagonist still settles disputes with the very persuasive assist of a well-swung two-by-four.

The Rock has sparked to David Klass's script and his participation is subject to the studio signing him quickly. A deal is expected to be made quickly and a director hired right away.

MGM's courtship of the Rock will have to be quick if the studio wants to tie up his next slot. The Rock followed "The Scorpion King" with the Peter Berg directed "Helldorado" for Universal, and studios all over town are developing vehicles for him, including Universal's "Spy Hunter," "Johnny Bravo" at Warner Bros., "Walk Like a Dragon" at Paramount, and "Skip Tracer" and "King Kamehameha" at Sony.