You may know Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson from his WWE career or his flexing in the Fast and the Furious franchise or Disney’s Moana. But in A24‘s upcoming sports biopic The Smashing Machine, Johnson utterly transforms into MMA fighter and UFC champion Mark Kerr.
Directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine explores Kerr’s rise to UFC stardom, along with his relationship with his partner Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), and his struggles with substance abuse. In a new first-look featurette released by A24, Johnson, Blunt, and Safdie delve into Kerr’s story. Plus, they get into Johnson’s preparation to take on the role.
For Johnson to fully embody Kerr onscreen, Safdie asked the already imposing Johnson to bulk up even more.”[It’s] a crazy thing to ask him, but Mark was a big guy,” Safdie says.
According to Blunt, Safdie’s request paid off. “The physical transformation gave me goosebumps,” she says in the first look. “Like, jaws dropped.”
For Johnson, the role wasn’t just about the physical transformation, though. At first glance, he draws parallels between Kerr’s UFC days and his own career as a professional wrestler, saying these experiences allowed him to “live in Mark’s skin.”
The Smashing Machine had its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where Safdie won the Silver Lion for Best Director. It then played at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Between the two festivals, The Smashing Machine earned mostly positive reviews from critics, who praised both Johnson and Blunt’s lead performances.
The Smashing Machine hits theaters Oct. 3.
