In the 2010s, Dwayne Johnson was one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood. However, with the massive superhero crash landing Black Adam, his career and his image have changed received some scratchesnot to mention recent reports about his behavior while filming the action blockbuster Red One.
Now the actor takes a step back to collect himself and regroup. The Dwayne Johnson brand no longer works as reliably as it did a few years ago. A reinvention is needed. Enter: The Smashing Machine. In the sports film, Johnson plays MMA fighter Mark Kerr.
First image of The Smashing Machine: Dwayne Johnson transforms into MMA legend Mark Kerr
Johnson usually appears in larger-than-life action movies like San Andreas and Skyscraper. For The Smashing Machine he goes into indie territory and shoots under the umbrella of film fans beloved production studio A24which recently spawned hits like Civil War and Everything Everywhere All at Once.
The first picture that was released on the occasion of the start of filming of The Smashing Machine shows that Johnson is serious about his acting reinvention. Johnson doesn’t rely on his own looks, but transforms completely into the real model. The Fast & Furious star has never allowed so much transformation.
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Mark Kerr has won the title of UFC champion in his weight class twice during his career. The biopic not only tells of his sporting career, but also deals with his Dependence on painkillers. In 2002, Kerr’s career was broken down in the HBO documentary Smashing Machine.
The feature film version is directed by Benny Safdie, who also wrote the screenplay. Safdie is a true all-rounder. In Oppenheimer he impressed in front of the camera as Edward Teller. Together with his brother, Josh Safdie, he made acclaimed films such as Good Time (2017) and The Black Diamond (2019).
Particularly exciting for Johnson in Safdie’s filmography is The Black Diamond. In it, comedy star Adam Sandler showed an acting side that we seen far too rarely. Maybe Safdie will even be able to get Johnson on track for an Oscar for the first time in his career.
When does The Smashing Machine start in cinemas?
A24 has no cinema release yet set for The Smashing Machine. Filming is scheduled to continue until the beginning of August. The film then goes into post-production.