While he may be known for bringing some of the most commercially successful films in the industry for a decade at this point, it seems like Dwayne Johnson has decided to take a different approach with his next biography film which is set to be made by A24. The biopic will be titled The Smashing Machine, based on the life of former UFC Champion Mark Kerr.
But the film wasn’t just a simple choose your next adventure project for The Rock for his career, it was an idea that he had since 2019, for which he had even had conversations with filmmaker Benny Safdie in the past. Alas, the conversations remained just that until his former co-star and friend Emily Blunt convinced him to make this project happen.
How Emily Blunt Made Dwayne Johnson Initiate The Smashing Machine Project With A24
The pursuit of a commercial blockbuster is the backbone of every major Hollywood studio and even stars, which is only natural, considering the film industry is first and foremost a business. But deep down, they also have this instinct to create films that can critically leave an impression on the world, which is exactly what Dwayne Johnson is gearing up to do with his next film with A24.
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In a recent interview with Variety, director Benny Safdie, the filmmaker who will be helming The Smashing Man in the future, opened up about the project a little bit. In the article, interviewer Ethan Shanfeld also had conversations with the Black Adam star himself, where he revealed that he had the idea for this film since 2019 when his production company Seven Bucks Productions first acquired the rights for the project.
Back then, he even had conversations with Safdie to make it happen as soon as possible, but due to the Pandemic, the idea fell out, majorly due to their busy schedules. But what made The Rock retrace his steps back to this idea was his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt.
He said that during one of their conversations, he brought up the documentary made on Mark Kerr’s career in the past, the man he’s supposed to portray in the film. After he had told Blunt about the project, she insistingly said:
“You must make this movie.”
Thus, this suggestion prompted Johnson to think about the missed opportunity and the zeal he forgot he had when he was first in talks with Safdie, which has now led to the initiation of the project.
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What Will The Smashing Machine Be About?
While the film may seem atypical of Johnson’s usual projects of making a commercial blockbuster, he has a keen interest in creating this film.
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The Smashing Machine is going to be a biography about the rise of the former professional wrestler turned mixed martial artist, the former UFC World Heavyweight Champion Mark Kerr, and his rise to the top in combat sports. Since the actor was a former professional wrestler himself, the film may be closer to his heart than others. Along with Benny Safdie, the film will have an indie project flare to it, which will be a good change of pace for the star’s career.
Jungle Cruise, streaming on Disney+.
