Fort Worth native Greg Kwedar sets new movie with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
Fort Worth native Greg Kwedar is roping in a big name for his next film.
Variety reported Tuesday, July 7 that Kwedar will direct the action-drama “Free Byrd,” which will star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as a Las Vegas motorcycle stuntman battling dementia as he plans his last jump. Johnson is also producing the film that comes from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s production company Artists Equity.
In addition to helming the film, Kwedar will rewrite the screenplay that originated from screenwriter Jon Boyer and had prior drafts by “The Peanut Butter Falcon” filmmakers Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson.
“’Free Byrd’ is a gift in many ways,” Johnson told Variety. “Emblematic of life’s sacred beauty, as well as life’s harsh and callous reality. The subject matter of ‘Free Byrd’ has become deeply personal to Greg Kwedar and myself as we’ve started to unpack this fateful journey together. Artists Equity have been incredible filmmaking and artistic partners, who not only share Greg’s vision for the film, but who are all connected to our story in their own unique and personal ways. When the mind of a loved one begins to slip away, life sure takes on a whole new meaning.”
Fort Worth native to direct new movie with ‘The Rock’
Kwedar is producing the film with his longtime creative partner Clint Bentley, who is based in Dallas.
The filmmaking pair are coming off back-to-back years of Oscar nominations for “Sing Sing” in 2025 and “Train Dreams” in 2026. Kwedar directed “Sing Sing” to three nominations, while Bentley helmed “Train Dreams” to four, including Best Picture.
They also wrote the scripts together for both films and share two Oscar nominations apiece for Best Adapted Screenplay. That’s how the duo work, co-writing and producing everything together, including Kwedar’s upcoming film “Saturn Return” that will premiere on Netflix sometime later this year.
Speaking of Netflix, the pair signed an exclusive first-look deal with the studio back in May to develop projects through their production company — Ethos.
Essentially, the deal means that Netflix has the first crack at anything the duo work on. If the company passes, Kwedar and Bentley can then shop the project to other studios.
Ethos is also producing “Free Byrd” with Artists Equity.
“This is a project that all of us at the company have connected with personally,” said Affleck and Damon, Artists Equity’s CEO and Chief Content Officer, respectively. “Greg is one of the most exciting writer-directors working today, and Dwayne is an extraordinary talent and person. We are extremely excited that they have chosen to make this with us and very much look forward to sharing the finished film with audiences.”
More on Kwedar
Kwedar was born and raised in Fort Worth, and is now based in Austin.
He spoke with the Star-Telegram last year for “Sing Sing” and said he grew up close to TCU and spent all of his schooling at Trinity Valley School in southwest Fort Worth. Kwedar still has family in the area and said he visits when he can.
“[Fort Worth] still feels like home to me and I think there’s something to the spirit of that town that I think served me in those early years, that helped forward me as a filmmaker,” Kwedar said. “It has this kind of really independent spirit.”
No release date has been set for “Free Byrd.”
