Back in the late 1980s – right around ’88’-’89 or so, I spent a good deal of time trying to escape the “Co-Ops” in the town I was living in at the time, an armpit of America known as Park Forest, Illinois. As part of that escape, I would often walk across the street to the notoriously-troubled outdoor mall to visit the Aladdin’s Castle arcade – a bright spot from a then-recent attempt at revitalizing the failing shopping center. It was significantly smaller than the location at the neighboring Lincoln Mall (also a memory), but they had some great games, and one I played often was RAMPAGE. In that game, players could take control of a giant ape, lizard or wolf, climbing buildings, eating people, and just creating general chaos. These creatures were formerly-human, mutated by some bad 80s stuff and hunted by the military. Fast forward three decades, and you wouldn’t think they could’ve made a serious movie out of RAMPAGE, but that’s what Warner Bros. just did… and it looks cool. Appropriately, the creatures are also loose in Chicago and throwing down to the music of the Smashing Pumpkins. Check this out…
About the Film: Global megastar Dwayne Johnson headlines the action adventure “Rampage,” directed by Brad Peyton.
Primatologist Davis Okoye (Johnson), a man who keeps people at a distance, shares an unshakable bond with George, the extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla who has been in his care since birth. But a rogue genetic experiment gone awry mutates this gentle ape into a raging creature of enormous size. To make matters worse, it’s soon discovered there are other similarly altered animals. As these newly created alpha predators tear across North America, destroying everything in their path, Okoye teams with a discredited genetic engineer to secure an antidote, fighting his way through an ever-changing battlefield, not only to halt a global catastrophe but to save the fearsome creature that was once his friend.
“Rampage” also stars Oscar nominee Naomie Harris (“Moonlight”), Malin Akerman (TV’s “Billions”), Jake Lacy (TV’s “Girls”), Joe Manganiello (TV’s “True Blood”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s “The Walking Dead”); as well as P.J. Byrne (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Marley Shelton (“Solace”), Breanne Hill (“San Andreas”), Jack Quaid (“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”), and Matt Gerald (TV’s “Daredevil”).
Peyton directs from a screenplay by Ryan Engle and Carlton Cuse & Ryan J. Condal and Adam Sztykiel, story by Ryan Engle, based on the video game Rampage.
“Rampage is produced by Beau Flynn, John Rickard, Brad Peyton and Hiram Garcia. It marks the third collaboration between Johnson, Peyton and Flynn, following the blockbuster hit “San Andreas.” Serving as executive producers are Marcus Viscidi, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Jeff Fierson, Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener and Michael Disco, with Wendy Jacobson co-producing. The creative team includes production designer Barry Chusid (“San Andreas”), director of photography Jaron Presant (2nd unit, “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”), editor Jim May (“Goosebumps”) and costume designer Melissa Bruning (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”). Music will be composed by Andrew Lockington, who created the scores for “San Andreas” and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.”
The “Rampage” creatures are brought to life by acclaimed VFX supervisor Colin Strause (“San Andreas,” “X-Men: Apocalypse”), with five-time Academy Award-winning visual effects company Weta Digital (“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”).
“Rampage” opens in theaters beginning April 20, 2018.
A New Line Cinema presentation, a Wrigley Pictures/Flynn Picture Company/7 Bucks Entertainment production, in association with ASAP Entertainment, “Rampage” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
