The Smashing Machine (2025)

6.3R123 minDirector: Benny Safdie

2025 film by Benny Safdie

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

The Smashing Machine premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025, where it won the Silver Lion. It was released in the United States on October 3 by A24, and received generally positive reviews from critics. The film was a box office bomb, grossing $21 million against a $50 million budget. It was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, Johnson was nominated for Best Actor and Blunt was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is The Smashing Machine about?
The Smashing Machine (2025) — Dwayne "THE ROCK" Johnson will portray former MMA/UFC champion Mark Kerr aka "The Smashing Machine" in a story based on the true events surrounding Kerr's life and rise through the MMA world which was unfortunately derailed by his opioid addiction.
Is The Smashing Machine based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is The Smashing Machine scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.