Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is a household name in Hollywood these days having starred in some of the highest grossing movies of all time, but his next role is set to be one of his most challenging to date. In 2023, it was announced that Johnson would be portraying former UFC Heavyweight fighter and NCAA wrestling champion Mark Kerr in a biopic entitled "The Smashing Machine," the nickname Kerr used while he was an active fighter. Pictures of Johnson's look for the movie leaked online in May 2024, but now the first official look at what The Rock looks like as Kerr has been revealed as the movie's first poster has been unveiled.
Produced by A24, who have already dipped their toes in the water of wrestling with 2023's "The Iron Claw," "The Smashing Machine"will tell Kerr's life story, using the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name as a reference point. The movie will follow Kerr's life through the world of freestyle and collegiate wrestling, to becoming an unstoppable force in Mixed Martial Arts, working for both the UFC and PRIDE at the turn of the century. At the same time, the movie will also dive into Kerr's struggles with addiction, his decline in MMA, and his relationship with his now ex-wife Dawn Staples, who will be portrayed by Emily Blunt.
The cast already features a number of high profile names from the world of combat sports, such as current Unified Heavyweight Boxing Champion Oleksandr Usyk, former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Ryan Bader, and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Bas Rutten. The director, Benny Safdie, famously directed the 2019 movie "Uncut Gems" starring Adam Sandler, and will feature in the upcoming "Happy Gilmore 2" movie, which features former AEW World Champion MJF, and WWE Superstar Becky Lynch as cast members.
