Dwayne Johnson recently spoke out about the underwhelming box office debut of The Smashing Machine, focusing on the personal meaning the film holds for him. The A24 drama, which premiered on October 3, grossed $5.9 million domestically from 3,345 theaters, marking the lowest opening weekend of Johnson’s career. This performance fell short of projections, which estimated earnings between $8 million and $15 million, according to Variety.
Despite these disappointing financial numbers, Johnson expressed his gratitude and shared reflections on the film’s impact via Instagram on October 6.
Johnson’s Gratitude and Focus Amid Disappointing Outcomes
On Instagram, Johnson emphasized the importance of controlling one’s own dedication rather than external results.
“From deep in my grateful bones, thank you to everyone who has watched ‘The Smashing Machine,’”
he wrote.
“In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results — but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity.”
He also publicly thanked director Benny Safdie, crediting him for trusting Johnson in the role.
“It was my honor to transform in this role for my director, Benny Safdie. Thank you brother for believing in me,”
Johnson said. He closed his post by underscoring the film’s profound personal effect:
“Truth is this film has changed my life. With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, DJ,”
he concluded.
Portrayal of Mark Kerr and Film’s Narrative Details
In The Smashing Machine, Johnson takes on the role of Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC heavyweight champion whose fighting career stretched from 1997 to 2009. The film traces Kerr’s professional triumphs and struggles, including battles with substance abuse. The narrative also explores his complex relationship with his wife, Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt, highlighting the challenges they faced throughout Kerr’s turbulent rise and fall within mixed martial arts.
Critical Praise Despite Commercial Shortfall
Although the movie’s commercial reception was disappointing, it earned considerable critical acclaim. The film debuted at the Venice Film Festival, where Benny Safdie received the top award for best director. Critics often lauded Johnson’s dramatic performance, with many identifying him as a possible Oscar nominee for best actor. The movie currently holds a 73% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 235 professional reviews, and a 77% audience approval rating from 250 user evaluations.
Financially, the film represents a substantial loss for A24, which invested $50 million in production costs and spent additional millions promoting the film, including festival showings at Venice and Toronto. Reports from Deadline suggest the studio might face a $10 million to $15 million deficit due to the film’s underperformance.
Johnson’s Earlier Reflections on Taking the Role
Prior to the release, Johnson openly discussed his apprehensions about portraying Mark Kerr. In August, he described the challenge as deeply unsettling, telling Variety,
“I had not experienced that in a very, very, very long time, where I was really scared and thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can do this. Can I do this?’ I realized that maybe these opportunities weren’t coming my way because I was too scared to explore this stuff.”
He also talked about breaking free from the action-hero image that has long defined his career.
“The three of us have talked for a very long time about, when you’re in Hollywood – as we all know, it had become about box office. And you chase the box office, and the box office can be very loud, and it can become very resounding, and it can push you into a category and a corner. This is your lane and this is what you do and this is what Hollywood wants you to do,”
Johnson explained.
Box Office Competition and Film’s Debut Ranking
Upon release, The Smashing Machine ranked third in its opening weekend, trailing behind a few high-profile releases. Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie One Battle After Another earned $11 million during its second weekend, while Taylor Swift’s concert film The Official Release Party of a Showgirl led the box office with $33 million. This competitive landscape added to the challenge faced by Johnson’s project during its debut.
