Summary

• Dwayne Johnson injured his elbow while filming The Smashing Machine.
• Johnson's role in The Smashing Machine marks a dramatic departure from his previous action and comedic roles.
• Johnson's elbow injury during filming suggests he is performing his own stunts once again, making his performance more authentic.

Dwayne Johnson injures his elbow while filming his new wrestling movie, directed by Benny Safdie, marking his solo directorial debut after co-directing Good Time and Uncut Gems with his brother Josh, both films from A24.

Now, shortly after production started in late May, Dwayne Johnson shared a video on Instagram showing off an elbow injury that he sustained while filming The Smashing Machine. Watch the video below:

In the video, Johnson shows off his injury which looks like a "cantaloupe in his elbow," speculating whether there might be some soft tissue damage, though he will need to drain the fluid before getting an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. Johnson seemed to be in good spirits in the video, so it doesn't seem the injury is too serious or will delay production significantly, if at all.

The Smashing Machine is expected to wrap filming in early August, though it remains to be seen if Johnson's elbow injury delays production.

The Smashing Machine Marks A Major Departure For Dwayne Johnson (In More Ways Than One)

He's Doing His Own Stunts Again

In December 2023, it was revealed that The Rock would depart from his typical roles to tackle his most dramatic project to date by playing Mark Kerr in an A24 film from Benny Safdie. Over his career, Johnson has cultivated his image with action movies such as the Fast & Furious franchise, Skyscraper, and Rampage. He's also taken on comedic roles, often blending humor with his action-hero persona in movies like Central Intelligence, Jumnaji, and The Tooth Fairy.

However, The Smashing Machine marks a major departure from Johnson's typical roles. It will certainly be his most dramatic role yet, as the A24 film follows the life of Mark Kerr, a wrestler and MMA fighter who experienced a lot of struggle and hardship over his life and career, including addiction. Johnson has called Mark Kerr the hardest role of his career, both dramatically and physically.

The Smashing Machine doesn't only mark a major departure for Johnson dramatically, but also physically. Since he sustained an elbow injury while filming, it seems that Johnson is doing his own stunts again. Though the action star used to do many of his own stunts, now in his early 50s, he hasn't done so since 2018's Skyscraper. On The Smashing Machine, it seems that Johnson, a professional wrestler himself, is performing his own stunts again in order to make his performance feel more authentic.

Source: Dwayne Johnson/Instagram