Dwayne Johnson’s Smashing Machine Set A Record For The Wrestler-Turned–Actor (But Not A Good One)

Dwayne Johnson is one of the most globally recognized movie stars. When he makes a movie, it’s almost always good for a box office weekend win. Of course, he’d never had to go up against Taylor Swift before. This past weekend at the domestic box office was a strange one, not only because Taylor Swift took over theaters (again), but because The Rock set a dubious career record.

Johnson’s The Smashing Machine opened in theaters this past weekend. The movie marked a major shift in The Rock’s career as an actor, as he played former UFC fighter Mark Kerr in a rare dramatic turn. Johnson’s pivot from the action genre to drama certainly generated a lot of interest, but it appears that interest did not generate ticket sales.

The Smashing Machine is Dwayne Johnson’s Lowest-Grossing Opening Weekend Ever

According to Deadline, The Smashing Machine opened to a paltry $6 million at the box office, which sets a record as the lowest-grossing opening weekend for a Dwayne Johnson movie. It’s an especially dubious distinction considering that Johnson’s last film, Moana 2, was the highest-grossing opening weekend of his career at almost $140 million.

To be sure, The Smashing Machine was never expected to be a blockbuster on par with Johnson’s box office champions. Serious dramas have been struggling in theaters as much as any film, and more than most. Still, the movie had been tracking to do more like $20 million a few weeks ago, which would have put the movie on the low end of Johnson’s career, but far from the bottom.

It's possible Taylor Swift is responsible for at least part of the low turnout. The theatrical debut of her newest album was only announced relatively recently, so the rest of the box office didn't have as much time to react. When Swift's Eras Tour movie was announced, some movies changed release dates to get out of the way, but that wasn't as easy this time around.

A single movie with a low box office opening weekend isn’t necessarily a big deal, but Smashing Machine’s performance might be an indication of what is to come for Dwayne Johnson. While the movie was a change of course for the actor, he has a pair of other dramatic roles lined up, a second film with A24 called Lizard Music, as well as a forthcoming project with Martin Scorsese.

Dwayne Johnson Is Still Getting Praise For His Dramatic Performance

Not a lot of people may have seen The Smashing Machine this weekend, but that shouldn’t be taken as any sort of indication of the film’s quality. The film has received solid reviews, and Johnson himself is being praised for his performance.

The Smashing Machine may not have been a box office hit, but like many movies before it, that may still turn it into a streaming success when those who didn't go to the theater watch it at home. As an A24 movie, you’ll likely need an HBO Max subscription to watch The Smashing Machine when it hits streaming platforms.