After recently taking down Tyson Fury as an underdog, the new Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion’s big week just got even better. A new report from Deadline revealed that Oleksandr Usyk has officially joined the cast of The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Emily Blunt. Benny Safdie, best known for directing Uncut Gems (gambling thriller starring Adam Sandler) and Good Time (heist drama starring Robert Pattinson) will write and direct The Smashing Machine. The movie is based on UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Johnson), who struggled with problems of addiction, love, and friendship throughout his career.
Production on the A24 film recently began when Johnson revealed the first-look photo of himself as the MMA fighter Kerr. Fans have remarked that Johnson is unrecognizable in the role, which has generated excitement to see him take on a project the likes of which his career has never seen. The Smashing Machine will be Usyk‘s acting debut, and he will play another MMA legend, Igor Vovchanchyn, one of Kerr‘s toughest opponents, who he fought on September 12, 1999. After A24‘s success with The Iron Claw, which stars Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White as members of the Von Erich family, fans have dubbed The Smashing Machine the next sports project with the potential to make a similar splash.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Is Broadening His Horizons
Johnson has a chance to silence his biggest critics by putting on a career-best performance in The Smashing Machine. It’s no secret one of his biggest criticisms over the years has been that he essentially plays the same character in all of his movies. Whether you’re a fan of his work or not, it’s hard to deny that there is some validity to the statement after examining his filmography. Between climbing through vines in a jungle in Jumanji and flying around as a Superhero in Black Adam, fans have seen Johnson as the strapping, muscular good guy who uses his fists more than his words plenty of times. Just by agreeing to portray a complex real-life figure such as Kerr in an A24 film, Johnson has shown a willingness to diversify his acting portfolio, which, at the very least, is something to be excited about going forward.
The Smashing Machine does not yet have an official release date, but is expected in theaters in 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates of the film, and check out Johnson in Black Adam, now streaming on Max.
via Collider