Following his recent return to WWE for WrestleMania 40, Dwayne Johnson revealed that he would be going away for a while. With rumors of his next Hollywood outing, it was a slight surprise to see Johnson opt away from the world of blockbuster action flicks and instead devote himself to a more challenging project.
For those unaware, Dwayne Johnson is already at work for the upcoming A24 drama “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie. The film is a biographical sports drama film, with ‘The Rock’ starring the man himself, former wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. Notably, the film also features Johnson’s former “Jungle Cruise” screen partner Emily Blunt as well.
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A legendary two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, the film focuses on Kerr’s journey to stardom along with the subsequent fall from grace influenced by his struggles with addiction and his marriage. Unlike the 2002 documentary of the same name, this version will feature a more ‘raw and real’ side to the fighter and the characters in his story.
How does Dwayne Johnson’s look for the movie compare to Mark Kerr’s real-life appearance?
For the most part, it has been a while since Dwayne Johnson took to his Instagram to share about Day 1 of his preparations for the film. Whilst most of what has been shared by the WWE and Hollywood superstar is from his own MMA training, his latest post has certainly caught the attention of many.
In a recent post, ‘The Rock’ shared what is essentially the first look at his work as Mark Kerr in the upcoming movie. Featuring him as the former UFC and PRIDE FC fighter sat in the corner of the ring, presumably between rounds, the fighter can be seen donning fight gear whilst sporting some facial prosthetics and a smashing head of hair. Naturally, barring his usual ripped physique, there is no doubt that it is a very new look for Johnson.
First look at Benny Safdie’s THE SMASHING MACHINE starring @TheRock and Emily Blunt. pic.twitter.com/GVC2XIHwGV
— A24 (@A24) May 21, 2024
For the most part, if not told beforehand, many would struggle to tell if it’s really Dwayne Johnson under all that makeup. That said, fans have heaped praise on the makeup team and their work to try and have The Rock bear as close of a resemblance to the fighter as possible. Judging by the response so far, the team has outdone themselves, so far as nothing goes awry in the post-production.
Dwayne Johnson has been training with Mark Kerr for the upcoming biopic
All things considered, many are excited to see Dwayne Johnson take a step up and away from what he is normally associated with in terms of his Hollywood appearances. In a role that will require him to push his boundaries as an actor, Johnson will need to move away from his stoic, no-nonsense, Macho persona and bring out a side of him that accurately captures the uncomfortable and tense emotions of the film.
Alongside dusting off the cobwebs on his acting chops, The Rock also spent a lot of time brushing up on his MMA skills. That said, the last day of his training camp for the movie was overseen by none other than the man Mark Kerr himself. Having trained with the NCAA, UFC & VALE TUDO Heavyweight Champion, Johnson was able to get a much better understanding of his role and learn what was truly required of him.
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In a post from their training session, the 52-year-old star wrote, “He’s (Kerr) still a f*****g machine, that can close the distance with scary speed and power. I’ll forever be grateful to the core for his invaluable knowledge he’s been gracious enough to pass onto me and especially for the brotherhood we share.”
Naturally, considering all the buzz Dwayne Johnson has already been able to drum up for the movie, the trailer for the same will also be heavily anticipated. In addition to Johnson, we will also see recently crowned undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk and former UFC and now-Bellator fighter, Ryan Bader also play the role of some important figures in Mark Kerr’s journey.
