After years of being one of the biggest names in Hollywood and putting on some of the most remarkable wrestling matches of all time, Dwayne Johnson is about to show a more dramatic side with The Smashing Machine, an upcoming A24 movie about UFC legend Mark Kerr.
This is a movie that I’ve been following for a while now and something that I think will take the wrestler-turned-actor to new heights on the big screen. With one of his closest Hollywood friends and Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt sharing the screen with The Rock in a sports biopic directed by Benny Safdie, this could be one of the biggest releases on the 2025 movie schedule. Here’s everything that’s been announced for this potential game-changer of a movie.
What Is The Smashing Machine Release Date?
I’m not entirely sure when the movie is going to come out as A24 has yet to announce The Smashing Machine release date, but Deadline has reported that it will make its big debut at some point in 2025.
With Dwayne Johnson’s return to the Fast & Furious franchise and his role in the upcoming Disney live-action remake of the 2016 animated hit, Moana, both set to come out in the next couple of years, it’s going to be a busy stretch for one of the hardest-working names in the business.
The Smashing Machine Cast
The Smashing Machine will be detailing the life and legacy of the larger-than-life UFC fighter Mark Kerr, so it only seems natural for the upcoming sports biopic to have a cast with all kinds of energy and charisma. That said, let’s break down who’s been officially announced for the highly anticipated flick, so far.
Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr
Over the past decade or so, Dwayne Johnson has spent the majority of his time appearing in over-the-top action franchises like the Fast & Furious movies, end-of-the-world disaster films, and multiple movies with Kevin Hart. One genre he hasn’t dove into all that much is drama, but that will soon change with The Smashing Machine, in which he’ll play Mark Kerr.
In December 2023, outlets like The Hollywood Reporter announced that Johnson would be playing the former UFC and PRIDE fighter in the A24 biographical drama.
Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples
Johnson and Emily Blunt really seemed to hit it off when they were cast alongside one another in Jungle Cruise, and the pair will now attempt to capture lightning in a bottle a second time. In February 2024, Variety reported that Blunt was in talks to portray Dawn Staples, Kerr’s former wife. It didn’t long, but her old friend and once-again co-star confirmed the news in March.
The Smashing Machine will also see Blunt reunite with Oppenheimer co-star and director Benny Safdie, though he probably won’t be on the receiving end of any brutal staredowns this time around.
What Is The Smashing Machine About?
When The Smashing Machine hits the big screen, it will tell one of the most dramatic stories in the history of MMA: that of Mark Kerr. A24 has announced that the movie will follow the trailblazing UFC, PRIDE, and VFC fighter at the peak of his career in 2000, detailing the good, the bad, and the ugly of his rise to the top of the sport. His struggles with drug addiction, success in the octagon, and various friendships and relationships will be detailed in the upcoming sports biopic.
For those unfamiliar with Kerr, the former mixed martial artist was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, an NCAA National Wrestling Champion, a four-time ADCC World Submission Champion, and a PRIDE FC Heavyweight Champion, who received many other accolades and honors throughout his tumultuous career.
Benny Safdie Is Writing And Directing The Smashing Machine, His First Directorial Effort Since Uncut Gems
Benny Safdie, who has spent the past few years giving great performances in movies like Licorice Pizza, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, and Oppenheimer, will sit behind the director’s chair on a feature film for the first time since Uncut Gems when he helms The Smashing Machine. As pointed out by Deadline, the upcoming Dwayne Johnson movie will also be Safdie’s first solo directorial credit, as his previous movies have all been co-directed with his brother, Josh.
According to IndieWire, an untitled Netflix movie set in the world of sports memorabilia will see Josh Safdie work with Uncut Gems star Adam Sandler once again, it’s just that his brother and longtime collaborator won’t be along for the ride. Not a whole lot is known about the project at this time, but there was word of a 340-page script at one point. Though Benny isn’t involved with that project, he is set to appear in Sandler’s Happy Gilmore 2.
When Can We Expect A Trailer For The Smashing Machine?
There was that first-look image of Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr that took the internet by storm in May 2024, but when will we get to see a trailer for The Smashing Machine? A24 hasn’t announced a release date, which makes pinpointing a trailer, or even a teaser, a difficult task. That being said, it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see our first proper glimpse of The Rock in the octagon at some point in early-to-mid 2025.
Production On The Smashing Machine Wrapped In August 2024
Between having his best WWE run in years by reinventing himself as the Final Boss, filming and promoting multiple high-profile projects, and filming The Smashing Machine, Johnson has had one remarkable year. Now at least some of the hard work is finished , as production on Benny Safdie’s next movie wrapped production in August 2024, according to Deadline.
Considering the movie is set in the world of combat sports, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that there was an injury on set. In June 2024, Johnson suffered an on-set injury while filming the movie, and even shared a picture of his gnarly bruised elbow on Instagram for the world to see. But, the battle scar wasn’t enough to derail the shoot, as the former WWE Champion was able to finish what he started.
Dwayne Johnson Has Said He Wants ‘More Humanity,’ And His Most Dramatic Role Yet Could Do The Trick
For as long as everyone has been talking about this film, one thing that keeps coming up is the fact that this will be Johnson’s most dramatic role. And, that’s one of the reasons he’s been pursuing the project. In a voicemail sent to Variety in January 2024, he had this to say about his desires with the project:
I want to be clear not to say that this is an abandonment of big, four-quadrant movies. I love making them, and there is tremendous value and importance in [them] … but there’s a time and a place for them. I’m at this point in my career where I want more. And I don’t mean I want more box office. I mean I want more humanity. And that is why Benny Safdie is the perfect, collaborative, hungry partner for me.
The idea of The Rock trying more dramatic and vulnerable roles is something I’ve been wanting for a long time, and if this biopic starts the next stage of his career, even better.
Dwayne Johnson Has Been Trying To Get The Smashing Machine Off The Ground Since 2019
Though The Smashing Machine was formally announced as an A24 project in December 2023, the movie has been in the works for the past five years. In November 2019, at the press conference before the ceremonial UFC 244 weigh-ins, Johnson revealed (via ESPN MMA ) to the audience that he was working on the film with his Seven Bucks Productions, and his reasons behind doing so:
Mark Kerr’s story is such an incredible story… Like all of us, and like a lot of these fighters, he battled these demons — these demons of addiction, these demons of mental health, these demons of getting out and the pressure of fighting in front of 20, 30, 40, 50,000 people and what that does to somebody. So, here’s a guy who has gone through it all, hit rock bottom, but the best part about Mark Kerr is that, like all of us in this room and all these fighters, all these warriors, is that every day, you get up and you want to do a little bit better tomorrow than we did today.
It wasn’t revealed until a few years later that Johnson, who made a name for himself in the wrestling ring, would be stepping into the octagon for the highly anticipated sports drama. And, judging by The Rock’s physique in recent years, he’s up to the task of portraying such a formidable and in-shape fighter.
Mark Kerr’s Story Was Previously Told In The Documentary, The Smashing Machine: The Life And Times Of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr
If the name Mark Kerr and the title The Smashing Machine both sound familiar, it could have something to do with the fact that the fighter was the subject of a 2003 HBO documentary, The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr. This in-depth documentary, which can no longer be found online, followed Kerr for an extended period of time and showcased his talents in the world of MMA and struggles outside of it. The various stages of his career – UFC, PRIDE, and Vale Tudo – are explored throughout the documentary and provide further context for the man, the myth, and the legend of combat sports.
Expect to hear much more about The Smashing Machine in the coming weeks and months, but in the meantime, don’t forget to check out our breakdown of the best A24 movies and how to watch them.
