Dwayne Johnson transforms for The Smashing Machine—A24’s MMA biopic. Why this role is his biggest career risk and a likely awards contender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FOqdNew7pc
Coming to theaters October 3, 2025, The Smashing Machine is not the kind of Dwayne Johnson movie you’re used to. This is an intense, grounded story about real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr, and it’s made by A24, the studio known for bold, character-driven films.
Johnson is almost unrecognizable here. He plays Kerr as a man worn down by years of fighting, both in the ring and in his personal life. This isn’t about winning championships as much as it is about showing the toll the sport takes on the body and mind. Emily Blunt co-stars as Kerr’s partner and former Playboy model, Dawn Staples, who tries to hold their life together as things fall apart.
The film is directed by Benny Safdie, one-half of the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gems, Good Time), who is known for his high-energy, tense storytelling. Here, Safdie writes, directs, edits, and produces. He is putting his signature style into the chaotic and dangerous world of late-1990s MMA.
It’s not just actors playing fighters either. Real MMA names like Bas Rutten, Ryan Bader, and Oleksandr Usyk appear in the film, adding to the authenticity.
The Smashing Machine is set to premiere at the 82nd Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2025, in the main competition. The movie looks at fame, addiction, pain, and the price of being “the best.” And it’s all told with the kind of urgency and realism that Safdie fans will recognize right away.
When the lights go down on October 3rd, get ready to watch Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, under Benny Safdie’s gritty lens and A24’s bold vision, deliver a raw, unforgettable visual knockout.
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