The Rock's Latest Film 'The Smashing Machine' Bombs At The Box Office On Opening Weekend

While he is being heralded for his portrayal of UFC legend Mark Kerr, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has just seen his latest movie, The Smashing Machine, endure the worst opening weekend of his entire acting career.

The film, which is a biopic about the career of UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr, was awarded the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival and has even seen (very early) whispers of an Oscar nomination for Johnson for his transformative performance as Kerr.

However, despite the star power attached to the picture and the hype it has received, the viewing public has mostly stayed well away.

The Smashing Machine Has Not Smashed The Box Office

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnso — Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

With Emily Blunt co-starring and Benny Safdie directing, many thought The Smashing Machine would be a surefire success with cinema goers. Instead, it opened to just $6 million against a budget of $50 million.

Reviews have been mostly positive for the A24 release, which has gained a 73% 'certified fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 78% fan approval rating as well. It is a stark departure for The Rock, who has focused primarily on high budget action blockbusters, comedies and animated pictures throughout his Hollywood career.

Johnson currently has projects lined up with Martin Scorsese and Darren Aronofsky, signifying that this venture into more serious roles is not a one off, but a change in direction for him as an actor.

It also means we probably should not expect to see the 10-time World Champion back inside a WWE ring any time soon, whether that's for John Cena's retirement or a potential showdown with either Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns.

“The Smashing Machine” cratered with $6 million over the weekend. Those ticket sales were below projections of $8 million to $15 million. This marks the lowest debut of Johnson’s career, below his 2010 thriller “Faster” ($8.5 million, not adjusted for inflation). Ignominious… pic.twitter.com/BjeQmZUl68
— Variety (@Variety) October 5, 2025

MORE: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Net Worth

Did Taylor Swift Affect The Smashing Machine?

One thing that may have potentially hurt The Smashing Machine's performance this past weekend was the three-day theatrical run of Taylor Swift's The Official Release Party of a Showgirl to coincide with the release of her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl.

Swift's release took in $33m at the US box office and debuted on the same day as her album was released, meaning the clamor for tickets was always going to significantly overshadow anything else hitting theaters at the same time.

Of course, The Smashing Machine being a more independent feeling film without the usual feel-good factor or jaw dropping action sequences has contributed heavily to it's box office performance not being in the same stratosphere as Johnson's usual releases. It is also not a film aimed at families like much of the former WWE Champion's usual fare.

Given how resoundingly positive reviews have been for his performance in the film, however, we doubt The People's Champion will be particularly worried about the money at the moment. Although A24 may feel differently about a film they put $50 million into.

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