HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — After 10 years in prison, Driver (Dwayne Johnson) has a singular focus – to avenge the murder of his brother during the botched bank robbery that led to his imprisonment. Now a free man with a deadly to-do list in hand, he’s finally on his mission…but with two men on his trail – a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) just days from retirement, and a young egocentric hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) with a flair for the art of killing and a newfound worthy opponent. The hunter is also the hunted. It’s a do or die race to the list’s finish as the mystery surrounding his brother’s murder deepens, and new details emerge along the way hinting that Driver’s list may be incomplete.
It was a fateful day a few years ago when writer/producer Tony Gayton approached his brother, and Faster co-writer, Joe Gayton with the thread of an idea. “I remember imagining a guy in prison on the day of his release getting a speech from the warden then just breaking into a sprint out of the prison gates and going straight to kill someone,” recalls Tony Gayton. “I liked the idea of this introduction where you have no idea who this guy is. He turns out to be the hero out to get revenge for his brother’s murder but he could very well have turned out to be the bad guy.” On that day, the character that would come to be known simply as ‘Driver’ was born.
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“(Driver) is like a shark – he has a clear mission,” notes Joe Gayton who also serves as Executive Producer on the film. “It was apparent at this early stage that his determination would provide for a true, high-octane adventure.” As the screenplay evolved, what emerged was not just an action film but also a character study and exploration into the minds of three men – the other two main characters known simply by the monikers ‘Cop’ and ‘Killer.’ But Driver’s mission was at the story’s core and finding the right actor to portray him would be the first target.
The script soon made its way into the hands of superstar known as "The Rock," who after spending a few years exploring other genres, was anxious to get back to action. “The story and the characters really spoke to me,” recalls Johnson. “It is a very simple and distinct storyline, yet all the characters are layered with complexity and complication.”
With character comes motivation and Johnson took special note that Driver’s motivation is very raw and doesn’t require suspension of disbelief. “If something important to you is ripped away leaving you with nothing, the only thing you have left is the ability to make those individuals pay. There are many different ways a person can respond when they lose everything but his response is still reality-based at its core. For Driver, the response is ‘You took everything I had, now you pay.’ When he gets out of prison, it’s safe to say you should put the kids to bed.”
The Gayton brothers couldn’t have imagined a more appropriate or capable actor to flesh out their vision. “There are not a lot of actors who can truly pull off the big brooding presence of this role,” says Tony Gayton. “Dwayne is perfect for this.”
