New images from the upcoming Young Rock holiday special tease how Dwayne Johnson will handle disastrous Christmases. Premiering on NBC back in February, Young Rock was co-created by Johnson and Nahnatchka Khan. The sitcom shows key moments in Johnson’s upbringing, from the fact that he grew up around professional wrestlers, to his struggles in high school and playing football at the University of Miami. The series also features a separate storyline, set in 2032, where Johnson appears as himself and makes a bid for the U.S. presidency. In this capacity, the former WWE superstar narrates the show while on the campaign trail through interviews with the press and fond recollections of his past.
Young Rock season 1 ended with a cliffhanger, leaving viewers to wonder whether or not Johnson succeeded in his efforts to become U.S. president. It’s likely that season 2 will pick up on that thread. It’s also known that the next batch of episodes will examine the beginnings of Johnson’s legendary career with WWE, as reports have confirmed that Young Rock is looking to cast actors to play the likes of The Undertaker and Triple H. Before that happens though, the NBC comedy is making a brief return to celebrate Christmas.
In photos, revealed by PEOPLE, fans get an in-depth look at the special which will premiere on December 15. With the title of Young Rock: A Christmas Peril, clearly inspired by the classic A Christmas Carol, the special will see each of the actors playing Johnson go through their own horrible holiday. In one example, according to details of the plot, a young Dwayne will work as a mall elf alongside his father Rocky — who will, of course, be Santa. As for Johnson, he’s seen walking with a crutch and wearing a paper boy hat. You can check out the photos below.
Matthew Willig, who plays Andre the Giant, and has been upgraded to series regular for Young Rock season 2 is dressed as Pére Noël (the French version of Santa Claus) in one photo. And, interestingly, the images reveal that the trio of actors who will play Johnson at different ages – Adrian Groulx, Bradley Constant, and Uli Latukefu will all appear together in the same scene. Typically, due to the setup of the sitcom, each of the performers is confined to their own timelines. The special will be directed by Khan. In addition to serving as co-creator of Young Rock, Khan has created the hit ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat and the Krysten Ritter comedy Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.
The rest of NBC’s comedy slate, Kenan and Mr. Mayor, will likewise be airing Christmas specials on December 15. They’ll each return in the next few months with new seasons. Kenan will be back first first on January 3, 2022. Mr. Mayor season 2 will debut on March 15. And as previously confirmed by Johnson himself, Young Rock season 2 will also premiere on March 15. Until then, sitcom enthusiasists will have some holiday cheer to look forward to.
Source: PEOPLE