During the 2010s, it seemed like almost any movie with Dwayne Johnson in a major role was going to be a box office smash and that includes San Andreas. Released in 2015, this disaster film centers on Johnson’s Ray, as he attempts to keep his family safe after an Earthquake rocks the West Coast of the United States.
San Andreas ended up as a hit, grossing nearly $500 million at the box office and receiving mixed reviews. Given Dwayne Johnson’s penchant for sequels and his commercial success, it’s surprising that a San Andreas 2 has yet to arrive. However, there has been talk about a sequel pretty consistently over the years.
San Andreas 2 Was Initially In Development
At one time, San Andreas 2 was actually in development thanks to its box office intake. It was said back in 2016 that Dwayne Johnson was slated to produce and New Line Cinema announced that it was greenlit. Meanwhile, the cast and crew, including stars Carla Gugino and Alexandra Daddario, and director Brad Peyton, were all set to return.
The first film came out in May 2015 and by February 2016, this news had broken. It seemed like the film was on the horizon in the near future. However, several years went by without any update on San Andreas 2’s status.
More Recent Updates Suggest San Andreas 2 Is Unlikely To Happen
It wasn’t until 2021 that word about San Andreas 2 popped up again. While promoting new projects, Daddario (who played Johnson and Gugino’s daughter) expressed doubt on the film ever happening. While talking with Collider, she said:
It was mentioned to me several years ago when I went in to New Line. I don’t think that the exec that I was speaking to is there anymore. But they had a draft written. As far as I know, it’s not happening. It’s been a long time. I don’t think so. I think it was in development at one point, I should say. But that happens in Hollywood all the time.
Later that year, producer Hiram Garcia spoke with Screen Rant and said that they had ideas for San Andreas 2. He said the studio has always wanted a sequel and that they want to continue the story. On top of that, Johnson also mentioned that he had ideas for the sequel as well.
Another relatively recent update came from Paul Giamatti, who also appeared in the first film. While on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Giamatti noted that he hears whispers and rumblings about the sequel only for nothing to come from it.
Now that we’ve pᴀssed a full decade since San Andreas, it seems unlikely that the sequel will ever come to fruition. It doesn’t help that the most recent updates have not been very inspiring, and next to nothing has been done to get it going, which makes it even more unlikely.
What San Andreas 2’s Story Could Be About
The first San Andreas told a straightforward story about a helicopter pilot saving his family during a natural disaster. Ultimately, that doesn’t exactly call for a sequel and there’s a reason so many disaster movies don’t get follow-ups. It’s hard to justify another mᴀssive natural disaster occurring in these characters’ lives.
However, the rise of global warming makes it more feasible to tell a story where Ray and his family endure another natural disaster. Not much is known about the story of a potential sequel, but one rumor surrounded the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire goes by several different names and is a belt of nearly 1,000 volcanoes that surrounds most of the Pacific Ocean. Screenwriters Neil Widener and Gavin James were said to be penning a script about the Ring of Fire erupting but clearly, plans have fallen through.
Would Dwayne Johnson Return For San Andreas 2?
While there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding San Andreas 2, the cast seems willing to return, as do the crew members behind it. Of course, Dwayne Johnson is one of the busiest men in the world, so finding time to do this is difficult. He’s even expressed that scheduling conflicts are part of what’s holding the sequel back.
One good sign is that Dwayne Johnson doesn’t have a lot of films lined up, with only the live-action Moana set in stone for after 2025. That said, Johnson is also set to appear in the next Fast & Furious movie, which has been pushed back to 2027.
Johnson has also been popping back up in WWE more than usual in recent years, including competing in a match in 2024, with rumors of another in 2026 or 2027. Getting back in the ring takes a lot of preparation and work, meaning it would take up a lot of Johnson’s schedule.
Producer Hiram Garcia also noted that with Johnson’s busy schedule, he typically focuses more on the franchise he’s pᴀssionate about, like Jumanji, Fast & Furious, and Moana. That means the likes of San Andreas take a backseat to those and it could be part of why Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions has held off on it.
