The Rock looks unrecognizable in first look at new sports drama from Uncut Gems director

A24 has unveiled the first look at Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, which stars an unrecognizable Dwayne Johnson. 

The upcoming sports drama is a biopic that follows the life and times of former wrestler and mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. Kerr was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and an NCAA Division I Champion, among dozens of other accolades and accomplishments. The film takes its name from the 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machine, which explored both his career and tumultuous personal life.

The cast includes Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples, Lyndsy Gavin as Elizabeth Coleman, Oleksandr USyk as former mixed martial artist Igor Vovchanchyn, and Ryan Bader as Kerr’s coach Mark Coleman. The film is currently in production and is expected to wrap on August 1.

“Benny wants to create, and continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real, characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting,” Johnson told Variety, explaining that the biopic is unlike anything he’s done before. “I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain.”

The Smashing Machine does not yet have a release date. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2024 and beyond, or, skip straight to the good stuff with our complete list of movie release dates.