In celebration of the opening of "Hercules" in Mexico City this Thursday, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has opened up about what the movie means to him.

According to EFE, Johnson sees a "human side" in the story based off of Greek mythology. Johnson said that family is the driving force behind his demigod character.

"When we made this movie, what we wanted was to reinterpret the mythology and present Hercules first and foremost as a family man with a heart of gold," Johnson said in a press conference.

The 42-year-old wrestler-turned-actor, who is also known for "Fast & Furious" films as well as 2002's "The Scorpion King," said that the theme of family recurs in all of his films.

"The family is an important element in any film I do," he said.

To Johnson, his Hercules character has much to prove in addition to his physical abilities.

"The power to believe in oneself and feel comfortable with it is the most wonderful thing," Johnson said.

He added that Hercules has inspired various superheroes, including Superman.

For Brett Ratner, director of "Hercules," the film is primarily an action and adventure movie that is suitable for the whole family. Making the movie fit into both categories was a "tremendous challenge but one that has really been worth it," he said.

In Ratner's adaptation of the ancient myth, Hercules tries to find happiness after losing his family while dealing with his feelings for Megara, played by Irina Shayk, a Russian model and girlfriend of soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo.

Johnson has had his eyes on the role of Hercules since he first started acting in movies.

"'Hercules' has been a passion project of mine for a very, very, very long time," he said in an interview with Flicks and Bits in July. "When I first broke into Hollywood, it was one of the first properties that I asked about and I was curious about. I really wanted to make it, and that was almost 15 years ago."
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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