Are we entering the Dwayne Johnson arthouse era?
News broke this week that Johnson is set to star and produce in a new A24 film from filmmaker Benny Safdie. The film is titled The Smashing Machine and will look at the legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
Safdie also wrote the script, producing with Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks, Eli Bush, and David Koplan. Seven Bucks Productions acquired rights in 2019, and Safdie has been working with Johnson on the project since. The film’s title is borrowed from a Kerr documentary on HBO.
The Smashing Machine is said to follow Kerr’s struggle with addiction, winning, love, and friendship in the year 2000.
For those who don’t know, Kerr is a former wrestler and mixed martial artist. He has awards from collegiate wrestling and pioneer days in UFC. He’s a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, Pride FC Heavyweight Champion, 1992 NCAA National Wrestling Champion, 1994 National Freestyle Champion, and four-time ADCC World Submission Champion.
Noah Sacco of A24 adds, “Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is electrifying. We are deeply honored to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life.”
