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The Smashing Machine is the title of Benny Safdie's upcoming biographical sports film. In the film, Dwayne Johnson portrays the famous MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, which is slated for release on October 3, 2025. The film is distributed worldwide by A24 and produced by Seven Bucks Productions.
The Smashing Machine, Safdie's first solo film as director, marks a significant turning point for both him and Johnson. Previously known for co-directing Uncut Gems and Good Time, Benny Safdie infuses this brutal representation with his trademark realism. Johnson, meanwhile, assumes one of the most challenging roles of his career, relinquishing his popular image to delve deeply into Kerr's complex life, both inside and outside the cage.
In April 2025, the first poster for The Smashing Machine was unveiled, showcasing Dwayne Johnson's striking physical transformation. The film was directed with an emphasis on authenticity and depicts Kerr's tumultuous life path, marking a daring new chapter for both Safdie and Johnson in the film business.
More about Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine
In early mixed martial arts and wrestling, Mark Kerr was a well-known figure. The film aims to illustrate Kerr's complex duality by finding a balance between his immense success in the ring and his serious personal issues outside of it.
The film, which was produced by A24, Seven Bucks Productions, and Out for the Count, examines Kerr's struggles with painkiller addiction, emotional instability, and celebrity in addition to his sporting victories. The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr was a highly regarded HBO documentary from 2002, which served as the inspiration for the story.
The film's first poster was unveiled in April 2025, and with a wig and bulky face prosthetics, Dwayne Johnson looks nearly unrecognizable. The poster depicts a worn-out, bruised Kerr sitting alone in a poorly lit locker room. This illustrates the harsh truth that lies beneath the champion's public persona.
To achieve a raw, gritty look, Safdie shot a large portion of The Smashing Machine on 16mm film stock. Safdie first got in touch with Johnson in 2019 regarding the movie, but it was put on hold due to pandemic delays.
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Johnson chose to portray Kerr as a vulnerable and unvarnished character rather than a stereotypical hero.
One of the most challenging aspects, according to Johnson, was telling stories that were "raw, real, and emotionally arresting." His role in The Smashing Machine represents a significant artistic shift, establishing him as a serious dramatic actor who isn't afraid to push the envelope in addition to being an action star.
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