Dwayne Johnson is “unrecognisable” in ‘The Smashing Machine’

The trailer for the MMA drama The Smashing Machine has been released, and Dwayne Johnson is unrecognisable in the lead role.

The film is a biographical drama based around the life of the two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Kerr, with former professional wrestling star Johnson taking on the central role.

The film, an A24 production, is has been written and directed by Benny Safdie, one half of the acclaimed Safdie Brothers, who made films including Uncut Gems and Good Time.

In the trailer, we see Johnson as Kerr, although other than his distinctively huge frame, there is little in his appearance that gives away the actor’s identity. Check it out for yourself here:

The Rock looks totally unrecognizable. Good on him for finally stepping out of the white shirt and typical comfort zone roles he usually always does.

— AIR (@AIRGold_) April 29, 2025

Last year, Johnson spoke about his desire to work on more dramatic projects, telling Variety: “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 continued. “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.”

One such project, it was revealed in February, will be a new film with Martin Scorsese, in which Johnson is set to star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and his Smashing Machine co-star Emily Blunt.

The film is being described as Goodfellas meets The Departed set in Hawaii, and will tell the story of a real-life figure who “battled encroaching rivals for control of organized crime” on the islands.

Johnson was last seen in festive action-adventure movie Red One, and heard reprising his voice role as Maui in Moana 2. He has several other projects in development, including new Fast & Furious movies and a Jungle Cruise sequel, also starring Blunt.

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