Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was ready for something more.
After becoming the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, Johnson took Hollywood by storm and quickly became one of the industry’s biggest action stars, harkening back to the days when names like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone ruled the box office. Along the way, Johnson has established himself as one of the most bankable movie stars in the world, with his films grossing over $12.5 billion.
But as much as ‘The Rock’ loves making the big-budget summer blockbuster films, he was ready for a different challenge.
Enter, The Smashing Machine, an ambitious biopic about the life and times of mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr.
“I had been wanting for years now to chase the challenge and be inspired by the challenge,” Johnson told Pat McAfee. “I love making the bigger blockbuster movies. They’re a lot of fun. They’re hard as sh*t to make, and a lot of people enjoy them, hopefully, knock on wood, around the world. But I wanted more. I wanted a challenge, and I just wanted the opportunity to disappear into something and disappear into a part and a role that would really challenge me in ways that I’ve never been challenged before.
“And on top of that, I know it sounds crazy, but to be nervous. In a way, you’re buzzy. ‘How am I going to do this? I don’t know how to do this?’ That happened on The Smashing Machine with Benny Safdie and A24 and, of course, Emily Blunt” (h/t MMA Fighting).
‘The Rock’ will be joined by a slew of combat sports stars in ‘The Smashing Machine’
Produced by A24, the company behind Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once, and director Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), The Smashing Machine is set to hit theaters on October 3, 2025.
In addition to ‘The Rock’ and his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, the film also stars former Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader, who plays UFC Hall of Famer and Kerr’s friend Mark Coleman, along with several other notable combat sports figures, including heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, Andre Tricoteux, and former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten.
