TNT Greenlights Dwayne Johnson's 'The Hero'

Competition series will put contestants through physical and mental challenges

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/5/2012 12:41:11 PM

TNT has greenlit a new reality competition series, The Hero, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson that will premiere next summer.

The Hero will put 10 ordinary people together in a house to complete missions that will "test their brains, their brawn and even their morality." Johnson will be there to serve as the contestants' motivator. Social media will have a big influence on The Hero, as viewers will be able to vote each week for the best contestant through the show's interactive digital platform.

TNT ordered eight episodes. Johnson and Dany Garcia will executive produce, along with Electus and its 5x5 Media exclusive producers.

"The Hero is a great fit for TNT's drama fans, whether they enjoy stories with a lot of action, suspense and danger, or stories that offer inspiration through the heroic actions of everyday people," said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and TCM. "We're also very excited about the extensive social-media aspect of The Hero, which will engage viewers on an entirely new level and develop a strong emotional investment in the competitors and challenges."

Said Johnson: "The Hero speaks to everything I believe in when it comes to challenging ourselves, to becoming better people every day and to making the right choices while growing from the wrong ones. Bridging the digital and physical world on the small screen in a way that's never been done before will enable fans to use social media and on-screen decision making to determine the fate of the show's contestants, and our goal is to make each TV moment impactful and exciting."