Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was once one of Hollywood's most bankable action stars. However, the changing landscape of Hollywood dimmed his star power, and his hopes to take over the DC Universe were thwarted when Black Adam bombed.
Looking to refresh his image, Johnson returned to WWE and angered pro wrestling fans by attempting to take Cody Rhodes' place at WrestleMania last year. He redeemed himself with a heel run, only to leave fans frustrated after skipping the 41st edition of the PLE in Las Vegas.
Johnson's main priority remains Hollywood, of course, and he's looking to reboot his career with prestige fare. That's why he's undergone a shocking transformation to play UFC icon Mark Kerr in filmmaker Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) and A24's The Smashing Machine.
This trailer sees Johnson checking a lot of the expected boxes; for starters, from a physical standpoint, he's nearly unrecognisable. He also shows Kerr struggling with addiction, love, and friendship at the peak of his career, right as his life takes a dark turn.
Will this role get The Rock the admiration and awards attention he craves? It's hard to say, though it does promise to show a new side of the actor and looks to be a compelling story, delving into the career of one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot in the octagon.
"Benny wants to create, and continues to push the envelope when it comes to stories that are raw and real, characters that are authentic and at times uncomfortable and arresting," Johnson previously said of The Smashing Machine. "I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past."
"I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity and explore struggle [and] pain."
"I want to be clear not to say that this is an abandonment of big, four-quadrant movies," he said of his run as the lead in countless blockbusters. "I love making them, and there is tremendous value and importance in [them] but there’s a time and a place for them. I’m at this point in my career where I want more."
"And I don’t mean I want more box office. I mean I want more humanity. And that is why Benny Safdie is the perfect, collaborative, hungry partner for me," WWE's Final Boss concluded.
Also starring Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk, The Smashing Machine arrives in theaters on October 3, later this year.