Dwayne Johnson to star as legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr in A24's The Smashing Machine
Dwayne Johnson takes on the role of legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr in A24's 'The Smashing Machine.'
The Smashing Machine is the title of a new film from A24 that will star Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr, a legendary mixed martial arts fighter and UFC champion. The film will be written and directed by Benny Safdie, who is best known for co-directing Uncut Gems with his brother Josh Safdie.
“Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is electrifying. We are deeply honored to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life,” said Noah Sacco of A24 in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
Who is Mark Kerr?
The film will chronicle the life of Kerr, who was at the top of his game in 2000, as he deals with the challenges of fame, love, friendship and addiction. Kerr, who is 54 years old, was nicknamed ‘The Smashing Machine’ for his aggressive and dominant fighting style. He won more than 20 MMA titles, including two UFC Heavyweight Tournament Championships and a World Vale Tudo Championship tournament.
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Kerr’s story was previously told in a 2002 HBO documentary, also called The Smashing Machine. The documentary followed Kerr’s rise and fall in the MMA world, and revealed his struggle with substance abuse, which led to an overdose.
Johnson, 51, is a former wrestler, who retired from the WWE in 2004. He recently made a comeback and had a friendly match with his old rival John Cena.
In September, the two wrestlers surprised their fans by appearing together on WWE SmackDown! at Ball Arena in Denver. Johnson and Cena faced each other with serious expressions and their hands behind their backs, but soon broke into smiles.
“I see you trying to smile!” Johnson said to Cena, who nodded. Cena then extended his hand to Johnson and said, “Welcome home.” Johnson has several other projects in the pipeline, such as Red Notice 2, Fast X: Part 2, Jungle Cruise 2, Red One, and the live-action version of Moana.
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Safdie, who is 37 years old, has also been busy with his work as a producer of Telemarketers and Love Has Won. He also had acting roles in Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, and Oppenheimer. The Smashing Machine will be his first solo project as a writer and director.
