It’s part of Michael Bay’s new 2-picture deal with Paramount just announced to include Pain And Gain and of course Transformers 4. I understand that all the talent are deferring their compensation in return for big back ends from Paramount: Michael Bay, Mark Wahlberg, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. It’s to keep Pain And Gain at the sure-thing $25 million budget level. Interesting, because both Wahlberg and Johnson are coming off hit 2012 movies (Contraband and Journey 2, respectively) so could have asked for a sky-high salary this time around — and didn’t. The film will shoot in Miami and production starts this April.

Based on a true story, Pain And Gain follows a group of bodybuilders who engaged in a campaign of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida first told in an article from the Miami New Times. The movie’s producers include Bay, Donald De Line, and Ian Bryce. “Michael has been working on Pain And Gain for a number of years but has patiently waited for the perfect casting to trigger a start,” Adam Goodman, President of Paramount’s Film Group, said in tonight’s press release. “Clearly his patience has paid off as we
couldn’t be more excited about this combo. His passion for this project is just awesome.”

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