Dwayne Johnson and Brett Ratner confirmed for 'Hercules'

Brett Ratner has been trying to get a Hercules movie off the ground for awhile now, so much so that he's attached himself to two different ones. Back in 2010 he was set to direct a version of the Greek hero's adventures for Universal, but the went on to direct Tower Heist instead. Not long after he signed on for MGM's adaptation of the Radical Comics series, Hercules: The Thracian Wars, which began to pick up steam early this year when Dwayne Johnson came aboard. Now Deadline reports the film has been given the green light, with production to begin early next year.

The comic series will be adapted by newcomer Ryan Condal, and takes the half-human/half-God son of Zeus out of his native Greece and into barbarian Thrace where he takes on the monumental task of training the King's ruthless army. Peter Berg once had plans of adapting the comic at one point.

Johnson's been on a role lately, adding an incredible punch of starpower to Fast Five and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, but this is probably his best shot to have a franchise to call his own. That's if Ratner doesn't screw it up for him.