Young Rock, the family comedy based on the life of Dwayne Johnson, has dropped a trailer confirming its premiere in February on NBC. Co-created by Johnson and Nahnatchka Khan, the series focuses on different chapters in the life of the title character and the experiences which shaped Johnson into the man he is today. Ahead of its debut, Young Rock has already revealed its cast. Adrian Groulx will portray the main character at the age of 10, while Bradley Constant takes over the role at age 15. Uli Latukefu completes the trio, as he plays Johnson at the age of 2o.
Along with those pivotal performances, and Young Rock set photos teasing some of the show’s WWE connection, it was recently reported that Lexie Duncan will appear as Karen. The high-school sweetheart of Johnson, Duncan’s character dreams of attending Barbizon beauty school. While fans still have to wait a little longer to see how the performers fare with their portrayals, Young Rock now has a premiere date.
The Rock himself shared the Young Rock trailer via Instagram, and it confirms the show will premiere on Tuesday, February 16. Along with Kenan, the upcoming series headlined by SNL’s Kenan Thompson, Young Rock will remain scheduled for Tuesday until the end of May when it finishes its run of episodes. The announcement is significant for NBC as the network has typically chosen to schedule its sitcoms for Thursday, which will change somewhat once the scheduling change takes effect. Thursday will remain home to workplace comedies, like Superstore and Mr. Mayor, while Tuesday’s lineup fits more neatly into the category of family comedy. Check out Young Rock's trailer, below:
The move signifies NBC’s belief that Young Rock will be able to find an audience. The show has a bit of appeal for the different fans that have followed Johnson through different stages of his career. For those who grew up watching Johnson in a wrestling ring, they’ll likely tune in to check out some of the references to WWE and any possible subtle nods to the career path which Johnson eventually takes. For others who know the title character more from his status as an action hero on the big screen, they might be tempted to watch with hopes of seeing a different side to Johnson. And, for a majority of viewers, it might be enough of a draw to have a new show which combines a coming-of-age story with elements of humor. In this way, Young Rock could potentially match the broad appeal of This Is Us. Another NBC offering, This Is Us has a number of different storylines unfolding over the course of a season that are designed to appeal to different audiences.
Young Rock will kick off a busy year for Johnson. The actor leads Red Notice and Jungle Cruise, both of which are currently scheduled for release in 2021. He also has a number of projects currently in various stages of pre-production, including Black Adam and a sequel to San Andreas. More projects, still, are currently being developed with Johnson attached to star. Many of those hue closer to action, showcasing the retired wrestling legend in a familiar light. Young Rock will break the trend, offering details about Johnson’s early days that even superfans might not be aware of.
Source: Dwayne Johnson/Instagram