Wrestling fans might remember an angle whereby two wrestlers, John “Bradshaw” Layfield and Ron “Faarooq” Simmons, ran a gimmick called the A.P.A., where they were beer-swilling, card-playing bodyguards for hire.  On a side note it was kind of unusual that they kept the A.P.A. (Acolyte Protection Agency) name long after they stopped being henchmen for the Undertaker, but that’s something for the Wrestling thread to hash out.  Anyway, Dwayne Johnson was a colleague of theirs at the time in the WWE, and it looks like he’ll be doing the same gig, although probably minus the beer and cards…and tights, for his next role. 

ComingSoon has word that Johnson has signed on to the actioner, Protection, replacing Clive Owen.  The film is about a twenty-one-year-old daughter of a Mexican judge who’s targeted by mob types (after she sees them kill her father and other family members), and must stay on the run through dodgy
places on both sides of the border, while an agent (Johnson) tries to
protect her and the bad guy is hot on her trail.  Brandon Noonan scripted, a director is still pending.

Hopefully, with this role, and the one in Faster, this will signify a return to some legit action films for a guy who was seemingly born for the work, but not too big on embracing his birthright lately.