For years, Dwayne Johnson has been one of the biggest names in the world of professional wrestling and Hollywood, having won the WWE Championship multiple times and dominated at the box office. At some point soon, the successful wrestler-turned-actor will step into the octagon when he takes on the role of legendary UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the upcoming A24 movie titled The Smashing Machine.
If this is the first you’re hearing about the exciting project being helmed by Benny Safdie in his first time directing a movie without his brother Josh, don’t worry, because we have some key details about the long-in-the-works biographical drama. Let’s dive into what could be one of the most hard-hitting sports films in recent memory, The Smashing Machine.
What Is The Smashing Machine Release Date?
A24 has yet to announce a release date for The Smashing Machine at this time, and we don’t know when cameras will start rolling on the film documenting the life and times of one of the UFC’s earliest stars. With Dwayne Johnson’s return to the Fast & Furious franchise on the way and his role in the Disney live-action remake of the 2016 animated hit, Moana, taking top priority for the in-demand star, it’s hard to say exactly when production will get underway and even harder to say when the film will be released.
It would be surprising to see The Smashing Machine debut any sooner than the final stretch of the 2024 movie calendar, and chances are it will be a little later than that, if we’re being realistic.
Dwayne Johnson Leads The Smashing Machine Cast
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 when The Rock leads The Smashing Machine.
In December 2023, outlets like The Hollywood Reporter announced that Johnson would be playing former UFC and PRIDE fighter Mark Kerr in the A24 biographical drama. However, no other members of the cast were announced at the time, so we don’t yet know who will be playing other early UFC fighters who turned the hardcore and no-holds-barred sport into an international sensation. Expect to hear more about this aspect as the movie’s development continues.
The Smashing Machine Will Follow UFC Trailblazer Mark Kerr At The Peak Of His Career In 2000
When The Smashing Machine eventually lands on the big screen, it will tell one of the most dramatic stories in the history of MMA: that of Mark Kerr. According to A24, 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, his 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 a great deal of 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.
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 film in December 2023, the movie has been in the works for the past four years. In November 2019, at the press conference before the ceremonial UFC 244 weigh-ins, Dwayne 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 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 sports movies of all time.