🥊The Smashing Machine (2025): Cast, Plot, Trailer, Release Date & Streaming – Dwayne Johnson Reignites Mark Kerr’s MMA Legacy

Boxofficehype
Aug 7
3 min read

The Smashing Machine (2025): Dwayne Johnson Steps Into the Painful Glory of Mark Kerr's Life. “You can win every fight in the ring… and still lose everything outside of it.”

🎬 Premiering September 1 at Venice | In Theaters October 3 | A24

When The Rock steps into the ring this time, it’s not for blockbuster thrills or superhero spectacle — it’s for one of the grittiest, most emotionally raw roles of his career. Dwayne Johnson transforms into Mark Kerr, the real-life MMA legend whose rise and fall became a cautionary tale of addiction, ambition, and broken dreams.

Welcome to The Smashing Machine — a biographical sports drama that doesn't pull its punches. Directed by indie auteur Benny Safdie and co-starring Emily Blunt, this A24 powerhouse is set to shake up the awards season with its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025, before hitting U.S. theaters on October 3.

💥 Who Was The Smashing Machine?

Mark Kerr was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, NCAA wrestling champion, and one of the early kings of MMA — a dominant force in the brutal days of Pride Fighting Championships. But his legacy is complicated. Behind the fame was a man battling drug addiction, mental health struggles, and the crushing weight of expectation.

“Inside the cage, he was unbeatable. Outside it, he was falling apart.”

This film dives headfirst into Kerr’s demons, his chaotic marriage, and the price of glory — brought to life by a cast and crew committed to telling the truth, not the legend.

🎭 The Cast: Powerhouse Performances

🪓 Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr

Not just an acting flex — this is a transformation. Johnson, known for his strength and charisma, takes a vulnerable, unflinching approach to Kerr's torment. He reportedly trained extensively in both wrestling and emotional range to honor Kerr's legacy.

"This is the most challenging role of my career," Johnson said in interviews — and the trailer shows us why.

💔 Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples

Kerr's then-wife, trapped between love and frustration, played with empathy and fire by Emily Blunt. Her chemistry with Johnson looks heartbreakingly real, as we see her navigate the chaos of living with someone constantly on the edge.

👊 Supporting Roles Include:

Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman
Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn
Bas Rutten as himself
Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, and more portray iconic fighters from Pride’s golden age

The ensemble casts real fighters and martial artists to bring brutal authenticity to every punch thrown.

🎥 Behind the Camera: Benny Safdie’s Raw Vision

Best known for Uncut Gems and Good Time, Benny Safdie takes full creative control here — writing, directing, producing, and even editing the film himself. With his signature anxiety-inducing pace, Safdie brings a gritty, handheld realism to Kerr’s world, capturing both the physical punishment of MMA and the psychological toll of living under pressure.

📸 Cinematography: Maceo Bishop
🎵 Score: Experimental jazz artist Nala Sinephro — expect haunting tones that mirror Kerr’s descent
🎞️ Runtime: 123 minutes of visceral drama and unfiltered truth

“This isn’t a sports movie. It’s a survival story.” – Benny Safdie

🏆 The Road to Venice: Awards Buzz Is Building

Nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice 2025, The Smashing Machine is already generating early Oscar buzz, particularly for Johnson's unrecognizable performance. Critics are calling it his “Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler” moment.

With a $40 million budget and A24’s indie prestige, this film balances raw realism with emotional storytelling, showing how the pursuit of greatness can leave a man broken.

🎬 Release Details

🌍 World Premiere: September 1, 2025 – Venice International Film Festival
🇺🇸 U.S. Theatrical Release: October 3, 2025
🕒 Runtime: 2 hours 3 minutes
🎟️ Distributed by: A24
📍 Language: English

💔 Final Thoughts: Fighting Ghosts in and out of the Ring

The Smashing Machine is not your typical sports drama. It's painfully intimate, emotionally devastating, and unapologetically raw. Dwayne Johnson sheds every trace of superstardom to show us a man who had everything — and still lost himself.