The Smashing Machine (2025 film)
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:18:32 PM Wikipedia source
The Smashing Machine is a 2025 American biographical sports drama film, written and directed by Benny Safdie. It stars Dwayne Johnson as former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, alongside Emily Blunt as Kerr's girlfriend, with Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and Oleksandr Usyk in supporting roles. The Smashing Machine premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on September 1, 2025, where it won the Silver Lion. It was released in the United States on October 3 by A24, and received generally positive reviews from critics. The film was a box office bomb, grossing $21 million against a $50 million budget. It was nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 98th Academy Awards. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, Johnson was nominated for Best Actor and Blunt was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.
Infobox
Directed by
Benny Safdie
Written by
Benny Safdie
Produced by
Benny Safdie Dwayne Johnson Eli Bush Hiram Garcia Dany Garcia David Koplan
Starring
Dwayne Johnson Emily Blunt Ryan Bader Bas Rutten Oleksandr Usyk
Cinematography
Maceo Bishop
Edited by
Benny Safdie
Music by
Nala Sinephro
Production companies
A24 Out for the Count Seven Bucks Productions Magnetic Fields Entertainment
Distributed by
A24
Release dates
September 1, 2025 (2025-09-01) (Venice) October 3, 2025 (2025-10-03) (United States)
Running time
123 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$50 million
Box office
$21 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Venice International Film Festival
Venice International Film Festival
Award
Venice International Film Festival
Date of ceremony
September 6, 2025
Category
Golden Lion
Recipient(s)
Benny Safdie
Result
Nominated
Silver Lion
Silver Lion
Award
Silver Lion
Date of ceremony
Won
Savannah Film Festival
Savannah Film Festival
Award
Savannah Film Festival
Date of ceremony
October 1, 2025
Category
Maverick Director Award
Recipient(s)
Won
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Award
Las Vegas Film Critics Society
Date of ceremony
December 19, 2025
Category
Best Supporting Actress
Recipient(s)
Emily Blunt
Result
Nominated
North Texas Film Critics Association
North Texas Film Critics Association
Award
North Texas Film Critics Association
Date of ceremony
December 29, 2025
Category
Best Actor
Recipient(s)
Dwayne Johnson
Result
Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Award
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Date of ceremony
January 3, 2026
Category
Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award
Recipient(s)
Dwayne Johnson
Result
Won
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Award
Critics' Choice Movie Awards
Date of ceremony
January 4, 2026
Category
Best Makeup
Recipient(s)
Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, and Mia Neal
Result
Nominated
Astra Film Awards
Astra Film Awards
Award
Astra Film Awards
Date of ceremony
January 9, 2026
Category
Best Actor – Drama
Recipient(s)
Dwayne Johnson
Result
Nominated
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
Award
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
Date of ceremony
January 10, 2026
Category
Best Actor
Recipient(s)
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Date of ceremony
January 11, 2026
Category
Best Actor – Drama
Recipient(s)
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Award
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Date of ceremony
Emily Blunt
Category
Nominated
Black Reel Awards
Black Reel Awards
Award
Black Reel Awards
Date of ceremony
February 16, 2026
Category
Outstanding Lead Performance
Recipient(s)
Dwayne Johnson
Result
Nominated
Outsanding Editing
Outsanding Editing
Award
Outsanding Editing
Date of ceremony
Benny Safdie
Category
Nominated
Outstanding Hair and Makeup
Outstanding Hair and Makeup
Award
Outstanding Hair and Makeup
Date of ceremony
Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox & Mia Neal
Category
Nominated
Outstanding Production Design
Outstanding Production Design
Award
Outstanding Production Design
Date of ceremony
James Chinlund, production designer; Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel & Frank Okay, set decorators
Category
Nominated
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Date of ceremony
March 15, 2026
Category
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Recipient(s)
Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein
Result
Nominated
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Venice International Film Festival | September 6, 2025 | Golden Lion | Benny Safdie | Nominated | |
| Silver Lion | Won | ||||
| Savannah Film Festival | October 1, 2025 | Maverick Director Award | Won | ||
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society | December 19, 2025 | Best Supporting Actress | Emily Blunt | Nominated | |
| North Texas Film Critics Association | December 29, 2025 | Best Actor | Dwayne Johnson | Nominated | |
| Palm Springs International Film Festival | January 3, 2026 | Variety Creative Impact in Acting Award | Dwayne Johnson | Won | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | January 4, 2026 | Best Makeup | Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox, and Mia Neal | Nominated | |
| Astra Film Awards | January 9, 2026 | Best Actor – Drama | Dwayne Johnson | Nominated | |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | January 10, 2026 | Best Actor | Nominated | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | January 11, 2026 | Best Actor – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Emily Blunt | Nominated | |||
| Black Reel Awards | February 16, 2026 | Outstanding Lead Performance | Dwayne Johnson | Nominated | |
| Outsanding Editing | Benny Safdie | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Hair and Makeup | Kazu Hiro, Felix Fox & Mia Neal | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Production Design | James Chinlund, production designer; Marcia Calosio, Mike Keel & Frank Okay, set decorators | Nominated | |||
| Academy Awards | March 15, 2026 | Best Makeup and Hairstyling | Kazu Hiro, Glen Griffin and Bjoern Rehbein | Nominated |
References
- The Smashing Machinehttps://www.ifco.ie/en/ifco/pages/0C18642800522A7C
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/taylor-swift-showgirl-projected-box-office-smashing-machine-1236534820/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/10/box-office-bombs-springsteen-smashing-machine-1236598171/
- "The Smashing Machine"https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt11214558/
- The Numbershttps://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Smashing-Machine-The-(2025)#tab=summary
- "The 98th Academy Awards | (2026)"https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2026
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2019/11/dwayne-johnson-ufc-mark-kerr-movie-1202775110/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dwayne-johnson-mark-kerr-a24-benny-safdie-1235752777/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/news/dwayne-johnson-emily-blunt-jungle-cruise-2-smashing-machine-1235937289/
- IndieWirehttps://www.indiewire.com/features/interviews/emily-blunt-the-smashing-machine-oppenheimer-interview-1235153418/
- "Dwayne Johnson is completely unrecognizable in new movie role leaving fans shocked"https://www.unilad.com/film-and-tv/news/dwayne-johnson-the-rock-the-smashing-machine-unrecognizable-085355-20240521
- Fightfulhttps://www.fightful.com/wrestling/report-a24-s-smashing-machine-targeting-december-2024-release
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2024/08/a24-sales-the-smashing-machine-1236033677/
- LowKick MMAhttps://www.lowkickmma.com/watch-the-new-trailer-for-the-smashing-machine/
- "The Smashing Machine: From VHS to 16mm to 65 mm, director Benny Safdie opens up about groundbreaking methodology in film"https://cineshout.com/entertainment/the-smashing-machine-from-vhs-to-16mm-to-65-mm-director-benny-safdie-opens-up-about-groundbreaking-methodology-in-film/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/10/the-smashing-machine-dwayne-johnson-bombs-box-office-1236571164/
- "Every day. Working hard, learning, respecting and being a student of the game during this training camp. I'm a hard worker, but this is the hardest journey I've ever been on. Thank you for all your amazing support, it means the world to me. Grateful to grow, humbled by this challenge and honored to tell this story. written & directed by benny safdie A24 song by Nala Sinephro 🎼 (who's also composing the score of Smashing Machine)"https://web.archive.org/web/20240720003137/https://x.com/TheRock/status/1790375800220315938
- The Cinemaholichttps://thecinemaholic.com/the-smashing-machine-filming/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/news/the-smashing-machine-first-look-dwayne-johnson-mark-kerr-1236011641/
- Pitchforkhttps://pitchfork.com/news/new-jim-jarmusch-yorgos-lanthimos-noah-baumbach-and-luca-guadagnino-films-to-premiere-at-venice-film-festival/