11:46am PT by Lesley Goldberg

Dwayne Johnson to Produce Car-Focused Cop Show 'Boost Unit' for Fox

'Boost Unit' is described as 'Fast and the Furious' meets 'Rescue Me,' and hails from exec producer Tim Kring.
AP Images
Johnson

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is expanding his TV empire.

The actor-producer and star of HBO's Ballers is developing a car-focused cop show for Fox titled Boost Unit. Johnson announced the project Tuesday on social media, writing: "Our #SevenBucksProds teams with @FOXTV and #ImperativeEnt to bring you a dope new show called #BOOSTUnit. I've had a lot of bad ass fun in the FAST & FURIOUS franchise and this show will capture that kind of intense and entertaining action based off of the real life individuals who make up one of the most bad ass (and underground) street units of the #LAPD. #BOOSTUnit #StreetsOfLA #TheHuntIsOn #SevenBucksProds #ImperativeEnt #FOXTV Let's ride..."

The drama, which is in development, hails from Johnson and Dany Garcia's Seven Bucks Productions and 20th Century Fox Television. Johnson and Garcia will executive produce alongside Tim Kring (Heroes Reborn) and his Imperative Entertainment. Jonny Umansky and Zach Hyatt (The Keys) will pen the script and also exec produce.

The potential series is described as Fast and the Furious meets Rescue Me and is based on a real LAPD unit that focuses specifically on all car crimes that take place in Los Angeles, ranging from thefts, narcotics trafficking, chases, terrorism and bomb threats. The unit is based in a warehouse in L.A. and sees its officers in plainclothes and driving their own cars, making for what is being billed as a fast-paced cop show. Here's the official logline: Boost Unit "follows the newest recruit of the LAPD's Auto Theft Task Force, a notorious getaway driver with a hidden past. The project captures Johnson’s trademark edge and humor as well as the turbo-charged speed of the Fast and the Furious franchise."

Should the drama go to pilot, there's the potential for Johnson to cameo.

“We’re bringing to life the high-stakes street pursuits and grueling work of this very specialized elite task force and we’re excited to partner with Imperative Entertainment to combine an epic mix of gripping action and sophisticated storytelling,” said Johnson.

Added Seven Bucks co-founder Garcia: “This is a powerful partnership with Imperative. We couldn’t be more excited to work together in a world that we know and love — fast cars, high stakes and iconic characters."

Said Kring: "Rarely do you hear a pitch that checks all the boxes and feels so immediately commercial, new and timely. We couldn't be more thrilled to be involved with Seven Bucks Productions on Boost Unit."
 
The project marks Johnson's latest TV foray in addition to starring in and exec producing HBO comedy Ballers as well as TNT's The Hero and Wake Up Call and Spike's Rock the Troops. On the feature side, his credits include the Fast and the Furious franchise, the upcoming Baywatch feature and San Andreas, among others.

For Kring, the pact expands his TV résumé beyond NBC's Heroes Reborn, USA Network's Dig and ABC Family/Freeform drama Beyond.

Johnson, Kring, Umansky and Hyatt are repped by WME. Umansky and Hyatt are additionally repped by Industry Entertainment.

For Fox, meanwhile, Boost Unit arrives as broadcast networks continue to look for new twists on the tried-and-true cop drama. 

Lesley Goldberg

Lesley Goldberg

Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com Snoodit

TV Scorecards