Dwayne Johnson is currently having the time of his life back in the squared circle at the moment. The man best known as The Rock is reliving his glory days with WWE as he prepares for his first professional wrestling match in 11 years, teaming with his cousin Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins (who was recently cast in Captain America: Brave New World). But Johnson is a busy man, and his return to WWE is only expected to be temporary for the time being.
Johnson’s next project is a juicy one. The “People’s Champion” will be filming The Smashing Machine, a biopic of the legendary Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor Mark Kerr for A24, with Benny Safdie directing and Emily Blunt set to join him as Kerr’s wife, Dawn Staples. In line with a summer production commencement, as previously noted in a report by Variety, noted professional wrestling journalist Mike Johnson of PWInsider has reported that Johnson’s run in WWE will conclude by May 1st, which is when production on the film is said to begin.
Johnson notes that the production schedule for the movie is set to take place from May until August 1st — filming in Los Angeles and New Mexico domestically as well as Tokyo, Japan and Vancouver, British Columbia internationally — which would allow Johnson to return to his WWE role. Currently, he is currently operating in a ‘blurred lines’ role as an on-screen character who acknowledges he is also on the board of directors of WWE, as well as moving on to shooting the next installment of Fast and Furious afterwards.
What is ‘The Smashing Machine’ About?
The movie will be based on the 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr. Directed by John Hyams, who is known for Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning and Sick, it tells the story of the ups and downs in Kerr’s life during the early, unregulated days of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). This film brings Safdie and A24 back together after their previous work on Uncut Gems in 2019. That film, directed by Safdie and his brother, Josh Safdie, was a big hit for A24, earning critical acclaim, particularly for the lead performance of a transformed Adam Sandler, and made $50 million USD on a $19 million budget. The film will be Benny Safdie’s first solo feature as a writer and director.
