And the Oscar goes to … Dwayne Johnson?
A24 released its first trailer on Tuesday for The Smashing Machine, the upcoming movie about the life and times of former UFC fighter Mark Kerr. “The Rock” will be joined by Hollywood leading lady Emily Blunt, as well as MMA veterans Ryan Bader and Bas Rutten along with heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“I run to this ‘Smashing Machine’ journey with deep respect and love for all MMA fighters and the culture,” Johnson said on Instagram. “Especially those who have struggled with addiction. I’ve lost so many friends over the years from addiction and mental health struggle, from suicide to … it was just their time to go. This is my love letter to them.”
Early screenings of The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems), were less than favorable; however, the movie is not expected to be finished and released until October. Today’s trailer certainly shows promise, it’s just a question of how many modern day MMA fans remember Kerr or care to see Johnson tackle the combat sports genre.
“I had been wanting for years now to chase the challenge and be inspired by the challenge,” Johnson told Pat McAfee. “I love making the bigger blockbuster movies. They’re a lot of fun. They’re hard as sh*t to make, and a lot of people enjoy them, hopefully, knock on wood, around the world. But I wanted more. I wanted a challenge, and I just wanted the opportunity to disappear into something and disappear into a part and a role that would really challenge me in ways that I’ve never been challenged before.”
For more on Johnson’s introduction to MMA “culture” click here.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
