Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been acting inmoviessince 2001 with The Scorpion King, but most of those roles have seen him play a generic, wise-cracking tough guy. Though Johnson clearly has the archetype down and has enjoyed huge success in Hollywood, he’srarely shown the range of risky, intimate rolesthat push boundaries of performance that fellow formerwrestlerDave Bautista has made his name for.
However, that might be about to change with The Smashing Machine, an upcomingA24biopic directed by Benny Safdie that could be the start of Johnson’s Oscar campaign. It tells the tale of former wrestler turned MMA legend Mark Kerr, and seems set to explore the highs and lows of his relationship to his wife Dawn Staples (played by Emily Blunt) as much as his sporting career.
The Smashing Machine will be a debut solo directorial feature from Benny Safdie, who is best known for his work directing Good Time (2017) Uncut Gems (2019) with his brother Josh. Meanwhile, said brother also has a sports movie out this year, the comedy-drama Marty Supreme that tells the fictionalised story of real-life table tennis athlete Marty Reisman. Josh’s movie stars two-time Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet, who also produces.
With a release date of October 3,The Smashing Machine is lining itself up for early Oscar buzz, while Marty Supreme’s December 25 release date is aiming to make a splash at the end of the season. However, if Johnson can pull out a performance worthy of Academy recognition, it will undoubtedly be the story of the year - Johnson is widely seen as a commercial popcorn seller, so shifting gears to a serious, prestigious role that stands out amongst his peers would be a major surprise. However, the trailer does hint that he is capable.
The trailer shows a softer spoken, more contemplative Johnson than we’ve seen before, as well as one more vulnerable and angry than his usual roles. This is not a jacked up guy rocking up to the party to kick ass, it’s the man we never see when the party’s over. While cycnics would call it a low bar, it’s shaping up to be Johnson’s best role yet.
Some will also see Johnson’s potential recognition as justice for Zac Efron. Widely praised for his leading role in 2023’s The Iron Claw, A24’s limited campaigning and Efron’s Johnson-like reputation (they even starred together as their usual character tropes in Baywatch), Efron ended up being nowhere near the shortlist many feel he so clearly deserved to be on. Recognising Johnson for another A24 sports biopic despite him not being the regular name in Oscar company could set the record straight, if only a little.
We’ll find out if Johnson is capable an Oscar-worthy turn later this year when The Smashing Machine releases on October 3.
