Sometimes there’s a sentence you didn’t think you’d ever have to actually write. Something so strange, the thought of it never crossed your mind. However, when you hear it, it makes sense and suddenly gets you really, really excited. With that preamble out of the way, here you go—Benny Safdie is going to write and direct a new A24 sports drama starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Let that sink in for a second.
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According to A24, the studio is backing a new film titled “The Smashing Machine,” which is written and directed by Benny Safdie (one half of the Safdie Brothers). The film marks Benny Safdie’s first directing foray separated from his brother. (For context, Josh Safdie is currently trying to get his own film made starring Adam Sandler.) As the name implies, “The Smashing Machine” is going to tell the story of Mark Kerr, an iconic figure in the history of MMA and UFC.
Here’s the synopsis:
THE SMASHING MACHINE is a drama based on the story of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC at the peak of his career. He struggles with addiction, winning, love and friendship in the year 2000.
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If you’re a fan of MMA and know the history of the sport, Mark Kerr is a name you’re familiar with. There even exists a documentary about him, also titled “The Smashing Machine,” which is really good. And the fact that Kerr is going to be brought to life by Dwayne Johnson is some inspired casting.
Honestly, I thought The Rock was perfectly content with doing massive, big-budget spectacles for the rest of his career. And sure, he’s clearly making a ton of those over the next several years also. But “The Smashing Machine” gives him a (pretty rare) shot to actually flex his dramatic muscles. And who better to bring it out of him than Benny Safdie? Seriously, what if this is spectacular? Are we looking at an awards season push for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson eventually? How wild would that be?
A24 said that Safdie and Johnson have been collaborating on this film since 2019, when The Rock’s production company landed the rights to the story. So, that means development on this has been going on for quite some time. Unfortunately, we don’t have a timeline for when the film might enter production and eventually find theatrical release. But in the meantime, let’s get truly psyched for a Dwayne Johnson movie!
Here’s the trailer for the aforementioned doc:
