Dwayne Johnson is set for his most transformative role yet in the first trailer for The Smashing Machine, a biopic about two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr. The drama, which was unveiled by A24 on Tuesday, explores Kerr’s tumultuous life and career.
Benny Safdie, known for co-directing and co-writing Uncut Gems and Good Time, makes his solo directorial debut with this film. Johnson stars alongside Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s wife, Dawn Staples. The cast also features Bas Rutten, Lyndsey Gavin, and Oleksandr Usyk. This marks Johnson and Blunt’s second collaboration, following their 2021 film Jungle Cruise. The duo will also join Leonardo DiCaprio in an upcoming Hawaiian crime thriller directed by Martin Scorsese.
Kerr, a mixed martial artist who competed from 1997 to 2009, won four ADCC World Championships. His struggles with substance abuse and difficult relationships were documented in the 2002 HBO film The Smashing Machine.
Johnson, in a previous interview with Variety, explained his decision to work with Safdie: “Benny wants to create stories that are raw and real, with characters who are authentic and sometimes uncomfortable. I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways I haven’t before. I want to make films that matter, exploring humanity, struggle, and pain.”
Safdie wrote the script and produces alongside Johnson, Dany Garcia, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, and David Koplan. Tracey Landon serves as the executive producer.
The Smashing Machine hits theaters on October 3.
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