Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is returning to his wrestling roots in The Smashing Machine, which also stars Emily Blunt, making it a Jungle Cruise reunion. The film is based on the life of real-life wrestling and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, who was the subject of a 2002 HBO documentary also titled The Smashing Machine.

Directed by Benny Safdie, who also co-directed Dwayne Johnson injuring his elbow on set. Information is still coming out about the film and little in the way of promotional images have been shared, but there has still been promising and interesting news about The Smashing Machine.

The Smashing Machine Latest News

The Smashing Machine Has Wrapped Filming

According to WorldOfReel, shooting in Vancouver, Canada, ended in mid-July 2024, a week earlier than expected. Filming began in May 2024.

The Smashing Machine Is Confirmed

The Smashing Machine Is Expected To Premiere In Late 2024

The Smashing Machine was first announced in December 2023 (via THR), with Johnson and Safdie attached. Later, in March 2024, during the Oscars, Johnson talked about getting Blunt involved with the project (via Variety). The Smashing Machine was expected to premiere in December 2024, with shooting ending in August 2024 (via Fightful). However, with shooting being ahead of schedule, The Smashing Machine could arrive even earlier.

The Smashing Machine Cast

The Movie Will Feature Real Life Fighters And Boxers

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt were the first to be cast in the film, as Mark Kerr and his wife Dawn Staples, respectively. Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Roberto 'Cyborg' Abreu is cast as legendary BJJ practitioner and 4x world champion, Fabio Gurgel (via Jits.Magazine).

Sporting News, and multiple other sources, report that Lyndsey Gavin will appear as Elizabeth Coleman, and Zoe Kosovic will appear as McKenzie Coleman. These sources also report that multiple other MMA fighters will appear in the film playing historical figures from the sport: Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, Bas Rutten as himself, Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman, Satoshi Ishii as Enson Inoue, Yoko Hamamura as Kazuyuki Fujita, and Paul Cheng as Masaaki Satake.

The Smashing Machine Story Details

Mark Kerr's Journey In MMA Will Be Explored

The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama about the life of Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr, a former wrestler, UFC champion, and MMA fighter. While it's unknown which parts of Kerr's life the movie will depict, the fighter has a fascinating history inside and outside the ring. Outside the ring, Kerr was slowly getting addicted to painkillers and other narcotics to overcome his many injuries. His substance abuse issues nearly drove his girlfriend at the time, Dawn, away, and he eventually entered rehab.

In the ring, Kerr was a ferocious fighter who brought the "ground and pound" technique to UFC and MMA. His journey through addiction and injury, along with his relationship with Dawn, will likely be the main storyline for The Smashing Machine. There will no doubt be plenty of fights in the film and if they follow the real history, they will be violent, thrilling events.