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Dwayne Johnson’s career is taking a turn as he gears up to star in his first A24 movie. Written and directed by one-half of Uncut Gems‘ directors, Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine, will see The Rock playing legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr. Honestly, it sounds like a fitting and fantastic next step in the wrestler-turned-actor’s career, and I can’t wait to see it.
In the film, Johnson will play Mark Kerr, an MMA fighter “from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC during the peak of his career,” the press release for the film stated. He is also set to produce the project through his company Seven Bucks Productions alongside Safdie’s Out for the Count banner.
This film comes as a shock to me, as Dwayne Johnson’s high-grossing, blockbuster projects are what he’s known for. However, he and Safdie have been working on it since Seven Bucks Productions acquired the rights to the story in 2019. Now, A24 is also attached as a partner.
Thinking about A24’s best movies as well as Benny Safdie’s work, I imagine that The Smashing Machine will be a film that subverts expectations and shows a whole new side of Dwayne Johnson as a performer.
According to the film’s short synopsis, it will follow Mark Kerr during the year 2000 as he “struggles with addiction, winning, love and friendship.” This means the project will take place right in the middle of the fighter’s esteemed career, during his run as the four-time ADCC World Champion – he won in 1999, twice in 2000 and 2001.
Even though this role is a perfect fit for Dwayne Johnson, considering his background in wrestling, the fact that it’s coming from Safdie and A24 is behind it has me thinking we’re about to see this actor in a whole new light. This specifically came into my mind because of the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems.
There are so many reasons to watch Uncut Gems, however, Adam Sandler is the biggest one. He turns in a career-best performance unlike anything we’ve ever seen from him. While Sandler had to be convinced to take a more serious role, it seriously paid off, showed us all the dramatic talents of the legendary comedian, and it is now considered one of his best films.
It feels like the last time we really saw Dwayne Johnson take on a role unlike the ones he’s known for was in Pain & Gain, in which Michael Bay had to stop him from quitting. That film is easily one of Johnson’s best movies and performances. And it feels like he’s taking a leap like it with The Smashing Machine.
Personally, I can’t wait to see The Smashing Machine. Dwayne Johnson and Benny Safdie are such a fascinating duo, and with A24 behind the flick, there’s no doubt that we’re in for a wild and unexpected ride. As more news comes out about the movie, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. In the meantime, be sure to check out the 2024 movie schedule to see what other projects the actor and director have coming out in the near future.