Dwayne Johnson to Star as MMA Icon Mark Kerr in A24’s “The Smashing Machine” – Release Date, Storyline & Full Cast Unveiled

The bell has finally rung: Benny Safdie’s visceral sports drama “The Smashing Machine” muscles its way into theaters nationwide on Friday, Oct. 3, and early chatter suggests it could be Dwayne Johnson’s most transformative performance to date. A Story Too Brutal to Invent Based on legendary heavyweight wrestler and early-era MMA pioneer Mark Kerr, the film tracks his meteoric rise through UFC tournaments in the late 1990s, the pain-killer addictions that nearly destroyed him, and the complicated marriage to Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt) that anchored his life outside the cage. Safdie—half of the filmmaking duo behind “Uncut Gems”—writes and directs solo, blending documentary-style grit with kinetic fight choreography to recreate Kerr’s “anything goes” Vale Tudo bouts that preceded modern UFC rules. Dwayne Johnson’s 30-Pound Metamorphosis To mimic Kerr’s thick neck, cannonball shoulders and explosive wrestling base, Johnson added roughly 30 lbs. of fast-twitch muscle through a hyper-specific regimen designed by longtime strength coach Dave Rienzi. “I still had to move like an MMA heavyweight—big but never slow,” Johnson told Jimmy Fallon, revealing that prosthetic artist Kazu Hiro applied 22 separate facial and body pieces each shoot day to complete the illusion. Emily Blunt Provides the Emotional Counterpunch Blunt’s Dawn Staples supplies the heart of the movie, depicting the pressures of loving a superstar whose success is inseparable from self-destruction. According to early festival reviews, her grounded performance prevents the narrative from becoming “just another comeback story,” giving the two-hour film a bruising intimacy that lingers long after the final horn. Festival Ovations and Oscar Buzz Premiering out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival, “The Smashing Machine” earned a reported 15-minute standing ovation, with critics praising Safdie’s handheld cinematography and Johnson’s raw vulnerability. Awards watchers already list the film as A24’s prime Best Actor and Best Editing contender this season. What to Expect in Theaters • Runtime: 132 minutes • Rating: R for graphic violence, language and substance abuse • Release pattern: Wide domestic rollout Oct. 3; IMAX screens in select cities; global territories staggered through mid-October • Bonus: A24 confirmed a five-minute behind-the-scenes featurette will play after the credits during opening weekend only, showcasing Johnson sparring with the real Mark Kerr. Search Demand Is Exploding—Here’s Why Keyword data shows “The Smashing Machine movie,” “Dwayne Johnson Mark Kerr,” “Benny Safdie new film,” and “Smashing Machine tickets” spiking more than 900 % week-over-week, driven by: 1. Viral before-and-after photos of Johnson’s bulking phase. 2. Speculation about Safdie’s first post-“Uncut Gems” solo outing. 3. UFC fans comparing the drama to the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name, which streams on Max. How to Watch and When Advance tickets are live on Fandango and A24’s website, with Tuesday-night fan-event screenings that include a recorded Q&A with Johnson, Blunt and Safdie. Digital purchase and VOD rentals are expected in early December, followed by a streaming debut (platform TBA) in Q1 2026. Bottom Line Whether you’re an MMA diehard, an A24 cinephile, or simply curious to see “The Rock” exchange his superhero tights for cauliflower ears and compound fractures, “The Smashing Machine” promises a punishing, empathetic portrait of a sport—and a man—caught between glory and addiction. Lace up: this bout could go the distance at the box office and in the awards race.