Recently, Dwayne Johnson suffered a bitter setback. The superhero blockbuster Black Adam, which The Rock announced more than once in advance as a benchmark DC event, was massively disappointing at the box office. But now the star has made a new move that is his Career could move in a completely different direction. The description of his next confirmed film role even sounds like potential Oscar material!
After Black Adam flop: Dwayne Johnson stars in drama based on true story
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson will star in the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The athlete biopic comes from the popular production company A24, which has produced acclaimed works such as Lady Bird by Barbie director Greta Gerwig, the Oscar-winning drama Moonlight and this year’s film of the year candidate Past Lives – In Another Life.
In the upcoming film with The Rock, he plays the role of real-life MMA fighter Mark Kerr, who won the title as UFC heavyweight champion twice. The drama is intended to tell the rise of the wrestler, who is also with severe dependence on painkillers had to fight.
The Smashing Machine is directed by Benny Safdie, who was last seen in front of the camera in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. He is best known for his brother Josh Safdie. As a directing duo, for example, the two shot the incredibly exciting thriller The Black Diamond with Adam Sandler.
New film role could take Dwayne Johnson to the Oscars
The main character from the upcoming A24 film It’s certainly not a coincidence that it reminds us of The Rock’s life story. Similar to Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, which gave Mickey Rourke an unexpected career boost, The Smashing Machine could take Dwayne Johnson’s Hollywood career in a completely new direction. Maybe we’ll even see him again at an Oscars in the near future.
There is no theatrical release date set for The Smashing Machine yet. The film is expected to be released in 2024 or 2025.