The Rock Completes Filming for “The Smashing Machine”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has wrapped up his latest Hollywood gig.

The former WWE champion will play an MMA fighter in a drama from A24, the same studio that made “The Iron Claw,” a film about the rise and fall of the Von Erich family set for release in 2023.

Rock will team up with director Benny Safdie, who directed “Uncut Gems,” for “The Smashing Machine,” where he will play Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion.

– Advertisement –

HBO released a documentary in 2002 titled “The Smashing Machine” that chronicled Kerr’s professional career and rise in MMA, as well as his addiction to painkillers that led to an overdose. Kerr was nicknamed “The Smashing Machine” because of his fighting style.

Safdie also wrote the project. Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush and David Koplan will also produce the film.

Hollywood North Buzz reported that The Rock has wrapped filming dates for the film in Vancouver. The bulk of production took place in a Tokyo Dome ring at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum, as he reflected on his various Pride Fighting Championship bouts.

The film is expected to be released in 2025.

– Advertisement –