The Rock is taking on a dramatic role.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that The Rock (Swayne Johnson) will play Mark Kerr in "The Smashing Machine," an upcoming film based on the life of Kerr from the 2002 documentary by the same name.
Kerr is a former MMA fighter who won the UFC 14 and UFC 15 Heavyweight tournaments. He also competed in PRIDE FC. He developed an addiction to painkillers, which was chronicled in the documentary.
A24 will finance the film, as well as produce alongside Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions, Benny Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush and David Koplan.
A24 produced the upcoming film "The Iron Claw" based on The Von Erich family. Safdie, who wrote and will direct the film, has been developing this project alongside Johnson since 2019.
“Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is electrifying. We are deeply honored to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life," said A24’s Noah Sacco.
The Rock stated in an interview that he thought about competing in MMA in 1997. You can find his full comments by clicking here.
Fightful will update fans on more about the project when it is known.
