The long-awaited initial trailer for The Smashing Machine, which features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, has finally hit the internet and has left his fans reeling from the dramatic change in his look. Johnson portrays the actual life MMA great Mark Kerr, two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and four-time ADCC World Champion, and known fighter in the late 1990s.
Johnson looks barely recognizable in the trailer battered, bruised, and with prosthetics subtly altering his nose and brow. The first scene finds exhausted Mark Kerr slumped in a clinic, his face puffy from combat. There follow flashbacks of savage UFC bouts, revealing viewers the bloody highs of Kerr’s life. “Have you heard of the Ultimate Fighting Championship? The UFC?
First look at The Rock in Benny Safdie’s #TheSmashingMachine pic.twitter.com/fUhXLJPaMT
— Culture Crave (@CultureCrave) May 21, 2024
” Kerr says in voiceover, establishing the tone for a gritty and intense story. The movie doesn’t only concentrate on Kerr’s achievement in the cage it also explores his troubled personal life, such as his battle with opioid addiction and complicated relationship with his partner Dawn, played by Emily Blunt.”.
The trailer’s dramatic intensity has moved fans, as they are acknowledging Dwayne Johnson not only for his physical exertion, but for embracing a new vocal style and giving the performance of his career so far.
Be ready for Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s performance. #TheSmashingMachine pic.twitter.com/qOYuOLTILf
— EvanAC (@EvanAboutCinema) April 29, 2025
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Fans inundated social media with such responses as, “He genuinely looks and sounds like somebody else — this is peak acting!” and “The Rock has officially reinvented himself.” Numerous fans praised his dedication to bringing Kerr to life, commenting on the subtle yet forceful change.Directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine hits cinemas on October 3, and promises a profound, dramatic examination of the price of greatness in combat sports.
