A24 Drops Brutal New Trailer for Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine — Dwayne Johnson Like You’ve Never Seen Him

Dwayne Johnson transforms into MMA legend Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, from A24.

Posted by HMU Staff | Source: A24 YouTube

Are You ready?

A24 just dropped a devastating new trailer for The Smashing Machine, and if you thought Dwayne Johnson had maxed out his dramatic range, think again. This isn’t a flex-and-smile action gig. This is trauma, sweat, and self-destruction in a cage—and it’s coming for the Oscars.

Written and directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), The Smashing Machine tells the real-life story of MMA legend Mark Kerr, and the toll that bareknuckle glory took on his body, his relationships, and his soul. Johnson drops serious weight and any hint of Hollywood polish, going deep into the kind of pain most actors don’t touch. Add Emily Blunt as Kerr’s partner — battling her own war inside the home — and you’ve got a powder keg.

Fresh off Silver Lion Best Director honors at Venice, the film is already being whispered as a top contender. But one thing’s certain: this is the most unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson has ever been — and maybe the best he’s ever been, period.

The Smashing Machine opens wide October 3 via A24.