The initial trailer for Benny Safdie`s upcoming film, The Smashing Machine, offers the first look at Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson undergoing a complete transformation to portray legendary UFC fighter Mark Kerr.
Scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 3rd, the highly anticipated movie delves into Kerr`s career journey. It covers his significant success as a two-time UFC tournament champion and his subsequent struggles. After enduring numerous injuries from his fighting and wrestling career, Kerr developed addictions to painkillers and narcotics, which heavily impacted his life.
The film is largely inspired by a 2002 documentary sharing the same title. It chronicles Kerr`s trajectory from his peak in the UFC to seeking a fresh start with PRIDE FC in Japan. Despite initial promising results in PRIDE, his battle with addiction unfortunately resurfaced and took over.
Oscar-nominated actress Emily Blunt features in the film as Dawn Staples, Kerr`s ex-wife, a figure who was notably present throughout the original documentary detailing the fighter`s life.
Former Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader plays a key supporting role as UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman. While initially a rival of Kerr`s, Coleman eventually served as a mentor as Kerr attempted to get his career back on track. The documentary highlighted Kerr`s difficulties in replicating his previous success in PRIDE, contrasting with Coleman`s own career revival which saw him win the inaugural PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Boxing heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk portrays Igor Vovchanchyn, a renowned Russian fighter who competed against Kerr in PRIDE. Additionally, Bas Rutten appears in the film playing himself, echoing his significant presence in the original documentary.
The cast also includes appearances from other fighters such as James Moontasri, Satoshi Ishii, and Roberto ‘Cyborg’ Abreu.
Benny Safdie, known for his collaborative work with his brother Josh Safdie on acclaimed films like Uncut Gems, is making his debut as a solo director with this project.
Get ready for The Smashing Machine when it opens in theaters nationwide on October 3rd.
