Apparently, audiences aren’t interested in seeing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in his most humane role. Just a month ago, Johnson was riding high after a warm reception at the Venice Film Festival — tears, standing ovations, glowing tweets. However, that high appears to have faded.
Reality hit hard this weekend as “The Smashing Machine,” A24’s $50M biopic about MMA legend Mark Kerr, opened to just $5.9M — Johnson’s weakest debut since around 2010.
Still, Johnson is taking the disappointment in stride. On Instagram, he framed the film’s flop as a creative victory rather than a financial failure, writing:
From deep in my grateful bones, thank you to everyone who has watched ‘The Smashing Machine.’ 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. It was my honor to transform in this role for my director Benny Safdie @bowedtie. Thank you brother for believing in me. Truth is this film has changed my life. With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, dj
It’s a gracious response, but the contrast between Venice hype and box office reality is striking. “The Smashing Machine” was promoted as Johnson’s most serious dramatic turn, a showcase for his range under the direction of Benny Safdie (“Uncut Gems”). Early tracking suggested an opening near $20M — but the audience never materialized.
Why? Maybe the downbeat tone and stripped-down realism alienated Johnson’s blockbuster fanbase. Maybe the marketing failed to connect. Or maybe, after a string of misfires like “Black Adam,” “Red Notice,” and “Red One,” moviegoers are skeptical of Johnson outside his proven franchises.
Whatever the reason, “The Smashing Machine” will be seen as a case study in the limits of star power. For all his charisma and work ethic, Johnson’s ticket-buying base seems to want him in dumbed-down territory — the muscular hero of “Fast & Furious,” “Jumanji,” or “Jungle Cruise” — not an introspective fighter wrestling with his inner demons.
At least, as Johnson says, the art meant something to him.
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