Dwayne Johnson is taking on his most intense role yet in a new A24 project by Benny Safdie, one of the minds behind Uncut Gems.
Johnson will play Mark Kerr, a real-life mixed martial arts fighter and two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion. Safdie, who wrote and will direct the film (his first solo directorial project), has been working on it with Johnson since 2019. The movie, titled The Smashing Machine, draws inspiration from Kerr’s life, as explored in a 2002 HBO documentary of the same name.
Kerr’s journey in the fighting world, including his nickname “The Smashing Machine” and his struggle with painkiller addiction leading to an overdose, will be portrayed in the film.
A24 will provide funding for the movie and collaborate on production with Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, Benny Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush, and David Koplan.
Noah Sacco from A24 expressed, “Dwayne and Benny are incredibly talented, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is truly exciting. We feel honored to have their trust as partners in bringing this special project to life.”
Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming projects include Red Notice 2, the sequel to the Netflix action comedy, and the Amazon action comedy Red One, where he will co-star with Chris Evans. His representation is handled by WME and Gang Tyre.
Benny Safdie, known for recent roles in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, the Judy Blume adaptation Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and the Showtime series The Curse, is represented by WME and Untitled Entertainment.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
