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THE SMASHING MACHINE

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The Smashing Machine (2025 film)

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not to be confused with The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.

The Smashing Machine
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBenny Safdie
Written byBenny Safdie
Produced byBenny SafdieDwayne JohnsonEli BushHiram GarciaDany GarciaDavid Koplan
StarringDwayne JohnsonEmily BluntRyan BaderBas RuttenOleksandr Usyk
CinematographyMaceo Bishop
Edited byBenny Safdie
Music byNala Sinephro
Production
companies		A24Out for the CountSeven Bucks ProductionsMagnetic Fields Entertainment
Distributed byA24
Release datesSeptember 1, 2025 (Venice)October 3, 2025 (United States)
Running time123 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$50 million[2][3]
Box office$21 million[4][5]

The Smashing Machine is a 2025 American biographical sports drama film written, directed, produced, and edited by Benny Safdie. It stars Dwayne Johnson as former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, alongside Emily Blunt as Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn Staples, with Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and Oleksandr Usyk in supporting roles.

The Smashing Machine premiered in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025, where it won the Silver Lion. It was released in the United States by A24 on October 3 and received generally positive reviews from critics, with Johnson and Blunt receiving acclaim for their performances. The film was a box office bomb, grossing $21 million against a $50 million production budget.

It was nominated for the Best Makeup and Hairstyling Award at the 98th Academy Awards.[6] At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, Johnson was nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama and Blunt was nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.

Plot

The film begins in 1997 with an interview of Mark Kerr, who explains to the interviewer his success in Ultimate Fighting Championship, before he leaves for his next bout.

In 1999, Mark is at home with his girlfriend, Dawn, with whom he shares a complicated relationship. Mark scolds her lightly for making a bulking shake incorrectly, but then apologizes. He prepares for a fight while being coached by Mark Coleman, and stumbles in and out of drug use while meeting Japanese officials regarding his pay.

Mark sits in his locker room under the influence, when he and Dawn begin to argue. After losing his latest fight drastically, he quietly leaves to his locker room and begins sobbing. Back home, his relationship with Dawn further deteriorates and he overdoses the next morning. Coleman visits him and tells him that he needs to change, which Mark agrees with. He begins rehab, which strains his relationship with Dawn, eventually resulting in her leaving and Mark leaving to camp with Bas Rutten.

Mark does extremely well under the coaching of Bas, getting into peak shape, and winning his first fight since the overdose. He eventually reconciles with Dawn, which, to the dismay of Bas, results in Mark leaving camp. Mark and Dawn later have a falling out over her hedonistic habits, resulting in Mark breaking up with Dawn and asking her to leave. A distraught Dawn attempts suicide, resulting in her going into care. In Japan, a distracted Mark loses his next fight brutally, as he has flashbacks of Dawn and other moments of his life and career.

Coleman eventually wins the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, while Mark receives stitches. He sits in the shower, smiling and laughing before it cuts to the present day, showing the real Mark Kerr shopping at a grocery store. It is revealed that Mark and Dawn got married 11 days after his loss at the 2000 Grand Prix, he retired in 2009, and while mostly unknown today, is one of the most influential pioneers in the MMA world.

Cast

The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt in shared leading roles.

Production

In November 2019, it was announced that Dwayne Johnson would star in and produce a biographical sports drama film based on the life and career of Mark Kerr.[7] In December 2023, it was announced that A24 would co-produce and distribute the film, with Benny Safdie writing and directing.[8] On the red carpet for 96th Academy Awards, Johnson confirmed that Emily Blunt would star in the film as Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples.[9] Blunt was instrumental in connecting Safdie (her co-star in Oppenheimer) with Johnson (her co-star in Jungle Cruise).[10] Lyndsey Gavin, Oleksandr Usyk, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Zoe Kosovic joined the cast in May 2024.[11][12]

Principal photography ran from May 21 to August 7, 2024,[13] spanning locations such as New Mexico, Tokyo, and Vancouver. The project was shot predominantly on 16mm film, with some scenes filmed using 70mm film as well as VHS cameras.[14][15] Johnson was paid $4 million to star in the film.[16]

Music

Main article: The Smashing Machine (soundtrack)

In late 2024, Johnson tweeted that Belgian musician Nala Sinephro would compose the score.[17][18][19][20]

The film’s score also includes the Cleaners from Venus track “Corridor of Dreams“, which is played in its entirety during the pivotal scene in which Mark Kerr suffers a humbling loss.[21][22]

Release

The first trailer for The Smashing Machine was released on April 29, 2025.[23] The film had its world premiere in competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025.[24] It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2025.[25][26] It was theatrically released in the United States and Canada on October 3, 2025.[27]

Reception

Box office

As of November 13, 2025, The Smashing Machine has grossed $11 million in the United States and Canada, and $9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $21 million.[4][5]

In its opening weekend, the film bombed with $5.8 million, finishing in third.[28] This was attributed to limited demographic appeal, lackluster word-of-mouth, and a digital-centric advertisement campaign that failed to reach older adult audiences.[29][16] Johnson responded to the opening box office numbers with: “In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results — but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity… Truth is this film has changed my life.”[30]

Dwayne Johnson garnered critical praise for his performance.

Critical response

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (December 2025)

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 71% of 299 critics’ reviews are positive. The website’s consensus reads: “Dwayne Johnson goes the distance with his transformative turn as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, a gritty biopic that sidesteps cliché even at the expense of narrative satisfaction while still landing the dramatic body blows that count.”[31] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 65 out of 100, based on 55 critics, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.[32] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “B-” on an A+ to F scale.[33]

Safdie was awarded the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival following its world premiere.[34]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Venice International Film FestivalSeptember 6, 2025Golden LionBenny SafdieNominated[35]
Silver LionWon
Savannah Film FestivalOctober 1, 2025Maverick Director AwardWon[36]
Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyDecember 19, 2025Best Supporting ActressEmily BluntNominated
North Texas Film Critics AssociationDecember 29, 2025Best ActorDwayne JohnsonNominated
Palm Springs International Film FestivalJanuary 3, 2026Variety Creative Impact in Acting AwardDwayne JohnsonWon[37]
Critics’ Choice Movie AwardsJanuary 4, 2026Best MakeupKazu Hiro, Felix Fox, and Mia NealNominated[38]
Astra Film AwardsJanuary 9, 2026Best Actor – DramaDwayne JohnsonNominated[39]
AARP Movies for Grownups AwardsJanuary 10, 2026Best ActorNominated[40]
Golden Globe AwardsJanuary 11, 2026Best Actor – DramaNominated[41]
Best Supporting Actress – Motion PictureEmily BluntNominated
Black Reel AwardsFebruary 16, 2026Outstanding Lead PerformanceDwayne JohnsonPending
Outsanding EditingBenny SafdiePending
Outstanding Hair and MakeupKazu Hiro, Felix Fox & Mia NealPending
Outstanding Production DesignJames Chinlund, production designer; Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel & Frank Okay, set decoratorsPending
Academy AwardsMarch 15, 2026Best Makeup and HairstylingKazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern RehbeinPending[42]

See also

References

  1.  “The Smashing Machine (2025)”. Irish Film Classification Office. September 1, 2025. Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  2.  Rubin, Rebecca (September 30, 2025). “Taylor Swift to Rule Box Office Again as ‘Showgirl’ Aims for $35 Million Debut, Topping ‘Smashing Machine'”. Variety. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  3.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (October 28, 2025). “What’s Up With The Fallout For Adult Upscale Movies At The Fall Box Office”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 29, 2025.
  4.  “The Smashing Machine”. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  5.  “The Smashing Machine – Financial Information”. The Numbers. Retrieved November 14, 2025.
  6.  “The 98th Academy Awards | (2026)”. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
  7.  Hipes, Patrick (November 1, 2019). “Dwayne Johnson To Star In And Produce Movie About UFC Champ Mark Kerr”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  8.  Gallupo, Mia (December 13, 2023). “Dwayne Johnson to Play MMA Fighter Mark Kerr in A24 Movie from Benny Safdie”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  9.  Ramos Bechara, Diego (March 10, 2024). “Dwayne Johnson Talks Reuniting With Emily Blunt for New MMA Drama, ‘Possibly’ Reteaming for ‘Jungle Cruise 2′”. Variety. Archived from the original on March 11, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
  10.  Erbland, Kate (October 1, 2025). “A Chance Encounter on ‘Oppenheimer’ Made ‘The Smashing Machine,’ and Emily Blunt’s Riveting Performance, a Reality”. IndieWire. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  11.  Brown, Emily (May 21, 2024). “Dwayne Johnson is completely unrecognizable in new movie role leaving fans shocked”. UNILAD. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  12.  Russell, Skylar (May 22, 2024). “Report: A24’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ Targeting A December 2024 Release”. Fightful. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  13.  Goodfellow, Melanie; Wiseman, Andreas (August 7, 2024). “Dwayne Johnson MMA Fighter Pic ‘The Smashing Machine’ Scores Deals For A24 As Shooting Wraps”. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  14.  Wheaton, Timothy (September 9, 2025). “Watch The New Trailer for ‘The Smashing Machine'”. LowKick MMA. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  15.  CineShout (September 23, 2025). “The Smashing Machine: From VHS to 16mm to 65 mm, director Benny Safdie opens up about groundbreaking methodology in film”. CineShout. Retrieved October 1, 2025.
  16.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (October 6, 2025). “How Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Smashing Machine’ Went Down For The Count As Star’s Lowest Opening; Pic Will Bleed Little With $10M-$15M Loss”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  17.  Johnson, Dwayne [@TheRock] (May 14, 2024). “Every day. Working hard, learning, respecting and being a student of the game during this training camp. I’m a hard worker, but this is the hardest journey I’ve ever been on. Thank you for all your amazing support, it means the world to me. Grateful to grow, humbled by this challenge and honored to tell this story. #TheSmashingMachine written & directed by benny safdie A24 song by Nala Sinephro 🎼 (who’s also composing the score of Smashing Machine)” (Tweet). Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved December 27, 2024 – via Twitter.
  18.  Prasad, Sumith (March 2, 2024). “Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine Starts Multi-Country Filming in May”. The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  19.  Sharf, Zack (May 21, 2024). “‘The Smashing Machine’ First Look: Dwayne Johnson Transforms into MMA Icon Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s A24 Drama”. Variety. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  20.  Monroe, Jazz (July 22, 2025). “New Jim Jarmusch, Yorgos Lanthimos, Noah Baumbach, and Luca Guadagnino Films to Premiere at Venice Film Festival”. Pitchfork. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  21.  Woods, David (October 2, 2025). “Cult poet Martin Newell: ‘I am the good granddad of rock ‘n’ roll'”. The Big Issue. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  22.  Deville, Chris (September 25, 2025). “Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine Has Nala Sinephro’s First Score And A Cleaners From Venus Song Played In Full”. Stereogum. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  23.  Lee, Benjamin (April 29, 2025). “The Smashing Machine: Dwayne Johnson fights for an Oscar in first trailer”. The Guardian. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  24.  “Venice Film Festival Screening Date”. Objectif Festival. July 27, 2025. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  25.  “The Smashing Machine”. Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  26.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 21, 2025). “TIFF Galas & Presentations: World Premieres ‘Good Fortune’, ‘Nuremberg’, Sydney Sweeney Pic ‘Christy’, Angelina Jolie ‘Couture’; North American Debuts Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’, Dwayne Johnson ‘Smashing Machine'”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
  27.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (April 2, 2025). “Dwayne Johnson & Benny Safdie’s Mark Kerr MMA Biopic ‘The Smashing Machine’ From A24 Busts Its Way Into Fall”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
  28.  D’Alessandro, Anthony (October 6, 2025). “‘Taylor Swift: Showgirl’ Kicks Higher To $34M, Still An Anomaly For Album Pic Launch; Dwayne Johnson’s Lowest Opening Ever ‘The Smashing Machine’ At $5.9M – Box Office Update”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  29.  Rubin, Rebecca (October 6, 2025). “6 Reasons Why Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ Was Knocked Out at the Box Office”. Variety. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  30.  Gajewski, Ryan (October 6, 2025). “Dwayne Johnson Reacts to ‘Smashing Machine’ Flopping: “You Can’t Control Box Office Results””. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 6, 2025.
  31.  “The Smashing Machine“. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 13, 2025. 
  32.  “The Smashing Machine“. Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 9, 2025.
  33.  Rubin, Rebecca (October 6, 2025). “6 Reasons Why Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ Was Knocked Out at the Box Office”. Variety. Retrieved October 15, 2025. with a tepid “B-” grade on CinemaScore exit polls.
  34.  Seth, Radhika (September 6, 2025). “All the Winners at the 2025 Venice Film Festival”. Vogue. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  35.  Vivarelli, Nick; Shafer, Ellise (July 22, 2025). “Venice Film Festival Lineup: Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein,’ Yorgos Lanthimos’ ‘Bugonia’ With Emma Stone, Benny Safdie’s ‘Smashing Machine,’ Luca Guadagnino’s ‘After the Hunt’ and More”. Variety. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  36.  “AwardsWatch – 2025 SCAD Savannah Film Festival Honorees Include Rose Byrne, Oscar Isaac, Dylan O’Brien and Tessa Thompson”. AwardsWatch. October 1, 2025. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
  37.  William Earl (December 11, 2025). “Dwayne Johnson to Be Honored With Creative Impact in Acting Award From Variety at 2026 Palm Springs Film Festival”. Variety. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  38.  “NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 31ST ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS HOSTED BY CHELSEA HANDLER – Critics Choice Association”. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  39.  Alter, Ethan (November 25, 2025). “‘One Battle After Another’ leads Astra Film Awards nominations”. GoldDerby. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  40.  Hammond, Pete (November 19, 2025). “‘One Battle After Another’, ‘Hamnet’, ‘A House Of Dynamite’ Among AARP’s Movies For Grownups Best Picture Nominees”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  41.  Hammond, Pete (November 19, 2025). “‘One Battle After Another’, ‘Hamnet’, ‘A House Of Dynamite’ Among AARP’s Movies For Grownups Best Picture Nominees”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  42.  “The 98th Academy Awards | (2026)”. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved January 22, 2026.
vteFilms directed by Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie
Josh SafdieBenny Safdie
Narrative films directed togetherDaddy Longlegs (2009)Heaven Knows What (2014)Good Time (2017)Uncut Gems (2019)
Documentaries directed togetherLenny Cooke (2013)
Josh onlyThe Pleasure of Being Robbed (2008)Marty Supreme (2025)
Benny onlyThe Smashing Machine (2025)

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