Fresh off his headlining role at WrestleMania, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has begun an MMA training camp for his next installment.
Back in 2019, Johnson announced plans to star in a biopic about NCAA Division I champion turned UFC and PRIDE FC fighter Mark Carr. The wheels of Hollywood are slowly turning, but this project is finally on the verge of filming under the banner of indie production company A24 ( Civil War, Midsommar ). Benny Safdie (of Uncut Gems fame) will direct the film, and Emily Blunt is rumored to co-star.
In a new Instagram video, “The Rock” expressed his excitement for the project.
“With WrestleMania behind me, my second training camp of 2024 begins tomorrow for my next role in a movie titled 'Smashing Machine,'” he wrote. “My body is pretty beat up from Mania, but I have no injuries and feel great. I'm ready. I'll start my MMA training tomorrow. I'm going into this fight with pretty good conditioning and cardio.” But MMA is different. And Mark Carr was a “one-of-one” monster. ”
Kerr was a formidable fighter in his prime, using his wrestling pedigree to put his opponents at a disadvantage and wreak havoc in bloody chaos. However, as he reached the pinnacle of the sport, steroid addiction and struggles with depression got the better of him, costing him his life in several matches.
“I come into this Smashing Machine journey with deep respect and love for all MMA fighters and their culture,” Johnson said. “Especially those who have struggled with addiction. I've lost many friends (wrestlers) over the years to addiction and mental health issues, to the point of suicide, just when it was time for them to leave.” This is my love letter to them. Let's get to work.”
It will be interesting to see if Dwayne's MMA training translates to his social media. “The Rock'' doesn't show people his struggles. For years, rumors persisted that he was contractually obligated to win all of his matches in Hollywood. That's not going to work in a Mark Carr biopic. Although he started his career with 12 straight wins, his martial arts days were sluggish with just 3 wins and 11 losses.
The Smashing Machine is currently scheduled for release in 2025. If you can't wait, check out his award-winning 2002 documentary of the same name, which captured Carr's tragic implosion in real time.
