Dwayne Johnson was seeking a new kind of challenge.
Globally recognized from his legendary professional wrestling career as “The Rock” and his status as a top-grossing movie star, Dwayne Johnson is now taking on a project that represents a significant shift, one that holds particular interest for mixed martial arts fans.
Scheduled for release in October, Johnson`s upcoming film, The Smashing Machine, chronicles the life of two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner Mark Kerr. Directed by the critically acclaimed Benny Safdie and distributed by A24, the independent studio known for award-winning films like Everything Everywhere All at Once, this movie is a notable departure for Johnson. In a recent conversation with Pat McAfee, Johnson explained precisely what attracted him to this role.
Johnson stated that for years he had been eager to pursue challenging roles that felt inspiring. While he genuinely enjoys making large-scale blockbuster movies, acknowledging their demanding nature and widespread global appeal, he felt a desire for “more.” He specifically wanted the opportunity to immerse himself and “disappear” into a character and role that would push him in ways he hadn`t experienced before.
He also admitted to wanting to feel a sense of nervousness, a “buzzy” feeling of uncertainty, asking himself, “How am I going to do this? I don`t know how to do this?” Johnson revealed that this very feeling arose with The Smashing Machine, working with Benny Safdie, A24, and his co-star Emily Blunt.
The film is based on the documentary also titled The Smashing Machine, which documented Kerr`s ascent in the MMA world, his subsequent downfall, and his struggle with addiction. The cast includes several prominent figures from combat sports portraying real-life individuals: former Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader plays UFC Hall of Famer and Kerr`s friend Mark Coleman; heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk portrays Russian fighter Igor Vovchanchyn; Satoshi Ishii appears as Enson Inoue; James Moontasri as Akira Shoji; Andre Tricoteux as Paul Varelans; and former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten plays himself.
