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Dwayne Johnson, future Oscar nominee? You heard that right. The Rock is stepping back into the ring—not as WWE’s most electrifying man in sports entertainment, but as real-life UFC legend Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. This gritty biopic isn’t just flexing muscle—it’s flexing range. Teaming up once again with his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, Johnson trades jungle antics for blood, sweat, and bruised egos in a role that’s already got Oscar buzz.

For years, he’s taken hits for playing the same guy in every flick—cue the viral memes with four identical stills from four different movies. But come October 2025, he’s ready to body slam that narrative and show Hollywood he’s not just built for action—he’s built for gold. Dwayne Johnson is here to make us all eat our words.

Dwayne Johnson like you’ve never seen...

As the wrestler turned action hero turns 53, we count down his best movies – from Baywatch to Jumanji to that time he played the Tooth Fairy

Dwayne Johnson is about to violently switch gears. His next films include a Benny Safdie drama about an Mma fighter battling addiction and a true-crime drama produced by Martin Scorsese. The reason for this abrupt handbrake turn towards grownup film-making seems to be Red One; a duff Christmas action film. During its production, tales of Johnson’s backstage behaviour leaked out: the star was said to frequently be late, and would habitually hand his assistant bottles of urine rather than walk to the toilet. It was the biggest knock to The Rock since his career began. But onwards and upwards.

It’s been a relatively quiet year for A24 so far, but one of the studio’s upcoming films just got an exciting new look. A24 has debuted the first trailer for Sorry, Baby, the upcoming drama starring Eva Victor, who will also make her screenwriting and directorial debut on the film. Sorry, Baby follows Agnes (Victor), a woman who deals with the troubles in her life while watching everyone else go about their daily lives as if nothing is happening. In addition to Victor, Sorry, Baby also stars Naomi Ackie, who opened the year by starring opposite Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17. Sorry, Baby premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and earned a 95% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, including an 8/10 review from Collider’s Ross Bonaime.

In addition to Victor and Ackie, Sorry, Baby also stars Louis Calcemi, Lucas Hedges, John Carroll Lynch, and Kelly McCormack. The...

“The Smashing Machine” is a new biographical sports drama feature, written and directed by Benny Safdie, starring Dwayne Johnson as former wrestler, ‘Mma’ fighter ‘Mark Kerr’, with Emily Blunt as Kerr's then-wife ‘Dawn Staples’, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and Oleksandr Usyk, releasing October 3, 2025 in theaters:

“…during his ‘Mma’ career, ‘Mark Kerr’ was a two-time ‘UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion’, ‘World Vale Tudo Championship’ tournament winner.

“In collegiate wrestling, Kerr was an ‘NCAA Division I’ champion. In freestyle wrestling, he won gold and silver medals at the ‘World Cup’ and silver at the ‘Pan American Games’.

“In submission wrestling, Kerr is a four-time ‘Adcc World Champion’, winning his weightclass twice along with the absolute division and the ‘Superfight Championship’.”

Click the images to enlarge…...

The MPA has just released ratings for two big upcoming movies of the year. Firstly, get ready for some intense dino action as Jurassic World Rebirth receives a PG-13 rating for “intense sequences of violence/action, bloody images, some suggestive references, language and a drug reference.”

Here’s what we’ve previously heard about the plot: “Jurassic World Rebirth sees an intrepid team racing to secure DNA samples from the three most colossal creatures across land, sea, and air. Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.”

Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley are producing the film for Kennedy/Marshall.

Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine has just dropped its first trailer, and the actor looks unrecognizable as Mark Kerr. From the trailer, it appears that Johnson has nailed the role of Kerr with the buffed-up physicality and the brutal in-ring action. It is not just Kerr’s great UFC achievements that make it to the screen, but the film also dives into the emotional toll of the Mma fighter.

The film is written and directed by Uncut Gems fame Benny Safdie in a solo venture for A24. Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions acquired the rights for Safdie’s script in 2019, and the two have been collaborating on the project ever since. Safdie’s Out for the Count banner will also be producing the film alongside Seven Bucks.

Dwayne Johnson impresses with the massive physique of Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine...

Could this be the year that Dwayne Johnson gets an Oscar nomination?!

The 52-year-old actor, also known by his wrestling name of The Rock, is going back to his roots to play legendary mixed martial arts & UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the upcoming movie The Smashing Machine.

Dwayne reunites with his former Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt in the upcoming film, written and directed by Benny Safdie. The movie also stars Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk.

The Smashing Machine will be released by A24, the studio behind movies such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, Uncut Gems, Midsommar, and Moonlight.

The trailer for the movie is out now and the film will be hitting theaters on October 3. While filming the movie, Dwayne suffered an elbow injury and revealed the damage in a video.

As the new trailer for The Smashing Machine hit the internet, the fans were shocked to see an unrecognizable version of Dwayne Johnson. The Rock has often faced accusations of lacking range in his acting. But the new A24 movie’s trailer proves that we may finally get to see the actor in Dwayne Johnson.

The Smashing Machine follows the journey of former UFC champion Mark Kerr. Previously, it was reported that The Rock had undergone intense Mma training for his role. It looks like Dwayne Johnson’s efforts have paid off, as he looks impressive in the movie’s trailer.

The Smashing Machine delivers Dwayne Johnson in a new form A still from The Smashing Machine Trailer | Credits: A24

Dwayne Johnson is among the few notable names who made an impactful transition from the WWE to Hollywood. His charismatic aura and incredible stardom also helped his movies become financially successful.

After A24 released the first trailer for The Smashing Machine with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, it didn’t take long for awards pundits and journalists to start speculating about its future as an Oscar player. Truth be told, Johnson has been considered a potential Best Actor nominee for months, with only a still photo of his transformation into UFC fighter Mark Kerr in his war chest.

However, now that The Smashing Machine trailer has arrived, it seems fair, even at this early stage in the calendar, with the movie still months from its debut, to wonder aloud whether Johnson could leap from popcorn star and beloved WWE wrestler to Academy Award nominee.

If it happens, don’t act too surprised, especially since, on paper, The Smashing Machine has a lot in its favor. Based on the documentary of the same name, and written and directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine...

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson steps out of the WWE ring and into the UFC Octagon in a new trailer for The Smashing Machine, where he portrays UFC icon Mark Kerr. Benny Safdie wrote and directed the movie, which also features Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Ritten, and Oleksandr Usyk.

Kerr is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, whose momentous life was previously chronicled in the 2002 HBO documentary “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr.” The roots of the feature film go back to 2019 when Johnson...

Dwayne Johnson se aleja de los blockbusters. © A24

A24 ha desvelado el primer tráiler y póster de la anticipada película The Smashing Machine, dirigida por Benny Safdie en su debut como director en solitario.

The Smashing Machine se sumerge en la vida de Mark Kerr, el legendario luchador de Mma de la época dorada de la UFC, apodado “The Smashing Machine” debido a su estilo implacable y dominante en el cuadrilátero. Kerr se consagró como un ícono en el mundo del deporte a lo largo de los años 90 y principios de los 2000, no obstante, su vida fuera del octágono estuvo marcada por una lucha constante con la adicción a los analgésicos y otros problemas personales.

La película está encabezada por un irreconocible Dwayne Johnson (Jumanji: Bienvenidos a la Jungla) como Kerr, alejado de sus característicos blockbusters (casi siempre ambientados en junglas), y Emily Blunt como Dawn Staples, la que fuera esposa de Kerr.

For years, Dwayne Johnson has been Hollywood’s most reliable walking bicep. He’s fought earthquakes, jungles, gorillas, and logic. He’s headlined everything from G.I. Joe: Retaliation to Moana, Central Intelligence, and Baywatch. He even made us believe in the emotional range of a guy who wears the same khaki shirt in every movie. But for all his box office dominance, critics haven’t let up on one thing: he always plays Dwayne Johnson playing someone else. Until now. Enter The Smashing Machine—a gritty A24 biopic that somehow manages to include The Rock, prosthetics, wigs, and still be taken seriously. Directed by Benny Safdie, the film tells the story of Mark Kerr, a UFC legend whose career from 1997 to 2009 was as brutal as it was tragic. If you watched HBO’s 2002 documentary of the same name, you’ll know this isn’t just another sports movie. It’s messy,...

Dwayne Johnson is ready to enter the Octagon.

On Tuesday, A24 released the first trailer for The Smashing Machine, Benny Safdie’s upcoming biopic about UFC fighter Mark Kerr, played by an often-unrecognizable Johnson in what appears to be a transformational performance.

The movie is Safdie’s first feature as a director without his brother, Josh Safdie. Ironically, A24 is also releasing Josh’s first solo directorial effort since 2008, Marty Supreme, later this year.

Based on the HBO documentary of the same name, The Smashing Machine focuses on Kerr, a mixed martial arts fighter who dominated the sport during the early stages of the UFC in the late 1990s. As detailed in the trailer, Kerr’s ascent through the sport coincides with a drug addiction that threatened to derail his career and his relationship with Dawn Staples (played by Emily Blunt).

Johnson has wanted to tell Kerr’s story for...

Dwayne Johnson transforms into UFC fighter Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s new drama. More on The Smashing Machine below.

Dwayne Johnson is getting back in the ring. Not a WWE ring, but a UFC one. Johnson, a former wrestler, stars as Mark Kerr in Benny Safdie’s latest drama for A24, and we’ve got our very first trailer for the film.

Take a look at The Smashing Machine trailer below.

The film takes its name from a nickname given to Kerr for his (painful sounding) fighting style. Judging from the trailer, The Smashing Machine will chart the fighter’s career’s ups and downs, including his struggles with addiction.

Johnson is joined by his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn Staples. Ryan Bader, Oleksandr Usyk, Whitney Moore and Bas Rutten, a former Mma fighter himself, round out the film’s cast.

Safdie, making...

There’s been a meme going around for a while, in the form of a question: can you name the Dwayne Johnson movie from the Dwayne Johnson pic? Except, each pic – from a different film – features him in an off-white shirt unbuttoned at the top, with cargo pants, and that eyebrow on display. The joke being, The Rock looks the same (and more or less plays the same character) in everything he does. But The Smashing Machine is here to disrupt that notion. Johnson’s latest film sees him team up with one of the Safdie brothers – Benny – for a gritty, burly A24 joint about the rise of UFC fighter Mark Kerr. It looks to be a transformative role for Johnson, teaming up with one of the most exciting filmmakers of the 21st century. Watch the trailer here:

Blimey. Who had ‘The Rock goes full Raging Bull’ on their 2025 bingo card?...

Today, A24 released the official trailer for The Smashing Machine, which marks Benny Safdie’s first solo directing effort. The biographical sports film, which tells the story of legendary mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr, stars Dwayne Johnson in the lead role. Also starring in the film is Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt as former Playboy model and Kerr’s ex-wife Dawn Staples.

On display in the two-and-a-half-minute clip is the ultra-charged realism that the Safdie brothers brought to such films as Good Time and Uncut Gems. In 2002, John Hyams made a documentary, also called The Smashing Machine, about Kerr, who was then at the height of his powers but also in the throes of fighting the demons of addiction.

The Smashing Machine opens on October 3.

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A24 has unveiled the first trailer for Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine.

Dwayne Johnson stars in the biopic as mixed martial artist Mark Kerr atthe peak of his powers during the no-holds-barred era of the UFC, as he questions himself and struggles with life and his relationship with girlfriend Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt.

A24 produced and financedThe Smashing Machineand has it dated for an October 3 release in North America.

Safdie produces through his company Out for the Count, alongside Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia for Seven Bucks Productions, David Koplan and Eli Bush.

Cannes 2025 major market...

Dwayne Johnson is taking a prestige swing in the new A24 drama “The Smashing Machine,” and the first trailer for the film shows the blockbuster movie star conjuring a performance of a very different sort.

Johnson plays UFC legend Mark Kerr in the biographical drama, which charts the up-and-down career of the mixed martial arts fighter during the no-holds-barred era of the UFC alongside his girlfriend, played by Emily Blunt.

The film is written and directed by Benny Safdie, one half of the Safdie Brothers directing duo, who gained acclaim with their gritty, stress-inducing films “Good Time” and “Uncut Gems.”

The movie also marks something of a pivot for Johnson, whose career was built on positioning himself as a movie star and who has almost exclusively played heroes for the last decade. He appears to be putting in the work — the performance is somewhat transformative, with Johnson even donning an accent.

The long-awaited trailer has arrived for A24’s The Smashing Machine, a prestige swing for Dwayne Johnson, one of the biggest movie stars in the world known for blockbusters and spectacle rather than (relatively) stripped down indies.

Johnson stars as Mark Kerr, the real-life two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion who was the subject of the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name that detailed Kerr’s journey and struggles with addiction to pain killers.

Set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” the trailer shows Johnson sporting prosthetics on his face to help him better resemble Kerr, as well as speaking with an Ohio-area accent rather than his trademark booming voice.

Benny Safdie wrote and directed the project, which stars frequent Johnson collaborator Emily Blunt as Kerr’s wife. Blunt played matchmaker between Johnson and Safdie, after appearing with him in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

The Smashing Machine is a career pendulum swing for Johnson,...

It’s The Rock as you’ve never seen him before: Looking like someone else. In the first trailer for A24’s The Smashing Machine, written and directed by Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson takes on the role of Mma fighter Mark Kerr, a notable shift into serious drama for the action star/professional wrestler.

The first trailer introduces both Johnson as Kerr as well as Emily Blunt as Kerr’s partner Dawn — a reunion for the two actors after working together on Disney’s The Jungle Cruise (a very different movie from this one). The ups and downs of life as a professional fighter get the spotlight in these scenes, with the ups and downs of Kerr’s career promising both falls from grace as well as comebacks.

Whether The Smashing Machine will connect with awards voters this fall remains to be seen. Still, for those curious to see what...

The official trailer has been released for The Smashing Machine. The film presents Dwayne Johnson in a more dramatic role, transforming the action movie star into real-life UFC legend Mark Kerr.

From A24 and filmmaker Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine also stars Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt. The film, which is set to be released in October, has only unveiled a few sneak peek images previously. In the new trailer, footage of Johnson looking more unrecognizable than ever before helps set the tone for what filmgoers can expect from The Smashing Machine. The trailer can be watched below.

Mark Kerr, who The Rock portrays in the film, is a former UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and decorated boxer. His career as a professional fighter lasted from 1997 to 2009. The Smashing Machine will focus on Kerr at the peak of his career while also detailing his personal struggles outside of the octagon with his then-wife,...

A24 is hitting the mat hard this month. Fresh off of a new poster for The Smashing Machine comes the first teaser, showcasing what could be a game-changing performance from Dwayne Johnson. We got our first look at Dwayne Johnson as retired Mma fighter Mark Kerr nearly a year ago, but it looks like A24 is already eyeing to get some awards season buzz with these promos.

In the teaser, we hear Johnson, as Kerr, state, “Winning is the best feeling there is. It’s 40,000 and they’re cheering you on. There’s no other high like it in the world.” The hold that it would have on his career no doubt offers a sort of reflection of former WWE Superstar The Rock, but here we start to see just what sort of impact it all had on Kerr and his wife, played by Emily Blunt.

The teaser also points...

Hollywood and action superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is transformed in the first trailer for the upcoming biographical sports drama, The Smashing Machine. Maintaining his muscles for the A24 Mma outing, the movie will also see the WWE icon stretch his acting muscles more than ever as he takes the lead as two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark Kerr. You can check out the first trailer for The Smashing Machine below.

“The Smashing Machine follows Mark Kerr, the legendary Mma fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC at the peak of his career,” the synopsis for the sports drama reads. “He struggles with addiction, winning, love and friendship in the year 2000.”The Smashing Machine is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 3, 2025, with many thinking this could be an Award-winner for the actor.

Directed by Uncut Gems filmmaker Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine will tell the story of the...

The agonizingly long wait for Josh and Benny Safdie's follow-up to their nerve-shredding 2019 masterpiece "Uncut Gems" is finally over, and, on the plus side, we're going to be getting two films from the brothers this year. Whether there's a downside to the fact that they're now working separately remains to be seen.

The first solo Safdie film out of the gate will be Benny Safdie's "The Smashing Machine," a sports biopic about mixed martial artist Mark Kerr's bloody rise to glory in no-holds-barred fighting and the UFC and his subsequent career/personal struggles, which were brought about by rule changes that suspiciously robbed him of certain skill advantages and, as the physical toll of the sport took its toll, an addiction to painkillers. The title refers to Kerr's nickname, which he acquired at the height of his pugnacious powers by bashing his opponents into submission or unconsciousness.

As...

"The unforgettable true story of a UFC legend." A24 revealed the first official trailer for The Smashing Machine, the highly anticipated new film from Benny Safdie, one half of now iconic filmmaker brothers duo known as the Safdie Brothers. This time it's just Benny's project alone, he wrote & directed this without his brother Josh this time. Together they made Good Time and Uncut Gems, earning their place in cinema history with both. in The Smashing Machine, the story is focused on the "trailblazing UFC, Pride, and Vfc fighter" Mark Kerr during the peak of his career in 2000. Detailing the good, the bad, and the ugly of his rise to the top of the sport. Mma fighter Mark Kerr struggles with addiction, winning, and love during his peak in the UFC. Starring Dwayne Johnson with impressive facial prosthetics in a powerful lead role as Kerr. With Emily Blunt as his girlfriend,...

How far will a fighter go to prove they belong? Mark Kerr’s riveting true story comes to the big screen in “The Smashing Machine.” This A24 biopic follows the Mma and UFC fighter through important career highlights, while showing the toll it took on his personal life. ‘Machine’ is written and directed by Benny Safdie. The acclaimed filmmaker, who co-wrote and co-directed “Uncut Gems,” additionally takes on editing duties for the project.

Continue reading ‘The Smashing Machine’ Trailer: Dwayne Johnson & Emily Blunt Star In Benny Safdie’s New Mma Fighting Drama at The Playlist.

The Smashing Machine, the highly anticipated A24 film directed by Benny Safdie and starring Dwayne Johnson, has just released its first trailer, presenting a look at an unrecognizable Johnson in the leading role. The Smashing Machine sees Johnson stepping into the shoes of Mark Kerr, the legendary Mma fighter known as "The Smashing Machine", as he became one of the biggest names in the sport. His career highlights include competing in top-tier promotions like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Japan's Pride Fighting Championships.

Johnson is looking to take a step in a more serious direction, following what could best be described as a decade or more as one of Hollywood's go-to action stars, roles which don't tend to allow for a lot of depth for those actors playing them, but this gives him a chance to silence his critics.

The film is directed by Benny Safdie, while Emily Blunt plays Kerr's then-wife,...

Dwayne Johnson undergoes his most dramatic on-screen transformation yet in the first trailer for “The Smashing Machine,” a biopic about two-time UFC heavyweight champ Mark Kerr. A24 pulled the curtain back on the drama Tuesday morning.

Benny Safdie, one of the two Safdie brothers who co-directed and wrote “Uncut Gems” and “Good Time,” makes his solo directorial feature debut on the film. In addition to Johnson, the cast includes Emily Blunt as Kerr’s wife Dawn Staples, Bas Rutten, Lyndsey Gavin and Oleksandr Usyk. “The Smashing Machine” is Johnson and Blunt’s second collaboration since Disney’s “Jungle Cruise” in 2021, and they’re set to next team with Leonardo DiCaprio on a Hawaiian crime thriller from Martin Scorsese.

Kerr was a mixed martial artist who fought from 1997 to 2009, winning four Adcc World Championships in his career. In 2002, Kerr was the subject of an HBO documentary also entitled “The Smashing Machine,...

Dwayne Johnson is smashing stereotypes with A24 feature “The Smashing Machine.” The actor, who is set to also star in Martin Scorsese’s Hawaii-set true crime mob drama, is first making his indie debut with Benny Safdie’s biopic about UFC legend Mark Kerr. Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk co-star.

Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions acquired the rights to “The Smashing Machine” in 2019. A24 later joined as a partner in 2023. Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions produce alongside Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, and David Koplan. The film marks Safdie’s first solo directing effort sans brother Josh Safdie; Benny Safdie also penned the script based on Kerr’s real-life story and rise in the UFC. Per the initial A24 announcement, Johnson’s most dramatic project yet follows Mma fighter Kerr’s career peak during the “no-holds-barred era...

Six years since Uncut Gems, Josh and Benny Safdie have forged separate paths—both are set to release major new films from A24 this fall. Before Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme arrives on Christmas, Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine will hit theaters on October 3. A24 is getting promotion started early, with the intense first trailer now online.

Marking a desperately needed career rejuvenation for Dwayne Johnson, the film is also a Jungle Cruise reunion for Johnson and Emily Blunt, and captures the story of legendary Mma fighter Mark Kerr, who faced addiction and a rocky marriage with Dawn Staples (Blunt).

“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 told Variety. “I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways...

The Smashing Machine sees wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson go from the squared circle to the octagon as he plays titular mixed martial arts legend Mark Kerr. A new look at the A24 sports drama sees an unrecognizable Johnson in action as the film's first trailer nears.

Via A24 on X (formerly Twitter), A24 released the first poster for The Smashing Machine. The latest preview sees Johnson's central character readying for battle and hypes up the Mma biopic as the "unforgettable true story of a UFC legend." The new poster comes as The Smashing Machine's first trailer is expected to debut on Apr. 29.

Directed and written by Uncut Gems helmer Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine sees Johnson portray Kerr, the former UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and decorated boxer active in mixed martial arts from 1997 until 2009. The film zeroes in on Kerr during the prime of his career, chronicling Kerr's personal struggles...

Dwayne Johnson is set to return to the big screen, embodying the former wrestler and Mma fighter Mark Kerr in the upcoming film The Smashing Machine. And the actor has surprised everyone with his dramatic transformation for the biopic, as seen in the recently revealed movie poster.

Starring Johnson and Emily Blunt, and directed by Benny Safdie, the biographical sports drama follows Kerr’s rise in Mma alongside his personal struggles. And Johnson appears to have completely immersed himself in the role.

The Smashing Machine poster reveals Dwayne Johnson’s transformation into Mark Kerr

A24 has revealed the first poster of the upcoming biographical sports drama, The Smashing Machine, showcasing Dwayne Johnson’s striking transformation into Mma legend Mark Kerr.

Related“That’s a bad idea”: Mark Wahlberg’s One Decision Saved His Latest Business Venture, It Now Rivals a Well-Known Dwayne Johnson Brand

Johnson, known for reigning on...

Dwayne Johnson is prepared to drop an elbow on his opponents in a new poster for The Smashing Machine, an upcoming film about Mma icon Mark Kerr from Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems) and A24. Who’s ready to sweat and leave some blood on the mat?

Mark Kerr is a former American wrestler and mixed martial artist. As a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion, World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner, a Pride Fc Heavyweight Champion, 1992 NCAA National Wrestling Champion, 1994 National Freestyle Champion, and 4x Adcc World Submission Champion, Kerr is one of the biggest badasses to ever get into the ring.

In addition to his directorial duties, Benny Safdie is co-writing The Smashing Machine script, which focuses on Kerr’s struggle with addiction, victory, love, and friendship in the year 2000. Likely to veer into more severe territory, The Smashing Machine gives Johnson a rare opportunity to flex his drama muscles for cameras.

HBO has just unveiled the trailer for the upcoming Paul Reubens documentary to premiere on Friday, May 23. The two-part documentary film titled Pee-wee as Himself will chronicle Reubens' lifelong run as the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, and it's based on over 40 hours of interview footage. Director Matt Wolf was able to sit with Reubens before his death in 2023, and the documentary is the result of long interviews where they often clashed over creative control, and Reubens ultimately opened up about his sexuality.

Pee-wee as Himself also includes appearances by Pee-wee's Playhouse co-stars Natasha Lyonne, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Laurence Fishburne. Other stars include Debi Mazar, David Arquette, and Laraine Newman. The film is executive produced by Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Uncut Gems directors Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie.

The HBO-produced project offers an inside look at Reubens' beginnings in the industry as a multifaceted comedian,...

The man behind Pee-wee Herman, Paul Reubens (Blow), is ready to truly reveal himself. It’s just unfortunate that his definitive documentary, Pee-wee as Himself, had to come out posthumously.

The HBO Original two-part documentary directed by Matt Wolf premieres Friday, May 23 at 8 p.m. Et/Pt on HBO. Put together, it’s a three-hour, 20-minute portrait of Reubens. And that’s exactly how the two parts will air on linear HBO — together. You can watch them however you want on Max.

Pee-wee as Himself is centered on “a soul-baring interview” with Reubens, per the synopsis, and is “a window into his never-before-discussed personal life.” It was a particularly lengthy soul-baring interview: Pee-wee as Himself is pieced together from more than 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ death in 2023. Wolf also had at his disposal more than 1,000 hours of archival footage and “tens of thousands of never-before-seen photographs” from Reubens’ personal collections,...

The trailer for HBO documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” has been released.

The documentary consists of two parts and follows the life history of the late Paul Reubens, the performer who portrayed Pee-wee Herman. It’s a “a window into his never before discussed personal life. Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices,” according to the official synopsis.

Directed by Matt Wolf, the documentary also includes interviews with Reubens’s sister, Abby Rubenfeld, Tim Burton, Judd Apatow, Natasha Lyonne, Laurence Fishburne, David Arquette and Laraine Newman.

Executive producer credits include Wolf, Reubens, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Ronald Bronstein, Eli Bush, Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Candace Tomarken, Kyle Martin, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller and Sara Rodriguez.

Part one debuts May 23 at 8 p.m. Et, with the second part airing immediately after at 9:40 p.

The HBO Original two-part documentary Pee-wee as Himself, directed by Matt Wolf (HBO’s The Stroll), debuts Friday, May 23 (8:00 p.m.-11:20 p.m. Et/Pt) with both parts airing back-to-back on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.

Driven by a soul-baring interview with Paul Reubens, the man behind the iconic character Pee-wee Herman, Pee-wee as Himself is the definitive portrait of the comedic performer, and a window into his never-before-discussed personal life.

Determined to correct the record and tell the factual story of his life, Reubens excavates his kaleidoscopic influences, origins in the circus and avant-garde performance theater, and career choices, while reflecting on the reasoning behind, and the consequences of, severing his beloved alter ego from his authentic self.

Woven together from over 40 hours of interview footage filmed before Reubens’ premature death in 2023, 1,000 hours of archival footage, and tens of thousands of never-before-seen photographs from his personal collections,...

Ryan Coogler recently revealed a long list of Hollywood creatives who served as the inspiration for making Sinners. It's a stacked ensemble of risk-takers who helped shape cinema throughout the decades.

Sinners has been a breakout success and has received overwhelming praise from critics. Its box office run has also exceeded expectations. Coogler said that it would have been impossible without the "cinematic influences" of more than 40 filmmakers. "I had the gift ofthe opportunity of making a film inspired by my family and my ancestry, but it was always a film that we wanted to make for audiences, in theaters," he said in a letter via IndieWire. "We always had our minds on you, the audience, and felt a deep responsibility to entertain you, and move you in the way only cinema can."

Image via IndieWire

In no particular order, Coogler named visionary directors like Quentin Tarantino, Jordan Peele, Christopher Nolan,...

Ryan Coogler is thanking his fellow titans of cinema for inspiring “Sinners.” The critically acclaimed Warner Bros. feature stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack who return to 1932 Mississippi after surviving World War I. The duo open a blues club and soon are faced with battling Irish vampires who have migrated South. The film marks the latest collaboration between Coogler and actor Jordan, whose 13-year partnership began with “Fruitvale Station.”

Now, Coogler is reflecting on crafting “Sinners” and pointing to the auteurs he calls his “cinematic influences.” “I had the gift of the opportunity of making a film inspired by my family and my ancestry, but it was always a film that we wanted to make for audiences, in theaters,” Coogler wrote in a letter shared with IndieWire. “We always had our minds on you, the audience, and felt a deep responsibility to entertain you, and move...

Jon Bernthal recently revisited a moment from early in his Marvel journey, recalling how he and Tom Holland assisted each other with audition tapes while filming the 2017 historical drama Pilgrimage. Bernthal auditioned for Frank Castle while Holland was preparing his take on Peter Parker.

“We did a film about seven or eight years ago,” Bernthal said during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “That was where both Tom did his audition for Spider-Man and I did my audition for Punisher. We actually made each other’s audition tapes on that film.”

Bernthal said Holland, then a teenager, approached the process with confidence. “He had such focus and such belief, it was so beautiful,” he said. “He would say, ‘I’m Spider-Man,’ I mean, he really believed he was going to get it.”

He remembered trying to manage Holland’s expectations while still encouraging him. “I was like, ‘There’s probably...

Jon Bernthal takes “a little” bit of credit for his friend, Tom Holland, landing the role of Spider-Man.

The Accountant 2 and Spider-Man actors were working together on the 2017 film Pilgrimage when they both were prepping their auditions for their respective Marvel characters. Bernthal took on the role of The Punisher in the 2017 series of the same name while Holland made his debut as Spidey in Captain America: Civil War in 2016.

“We did a film about seven or eight years ago,” Bernthal said during a Thursday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in reference to Pilgrimage. “That was where both Tom did his audition for Spider-Man and I did my audition for Punisher. We actually made each other’s audition tapes [working] on that film.”

As they began working on their auditions, Bernthall recalled Holland’s “focus” and “belief,” adding that “he really believed he was going to get it” and “would say,...

Happy Gilmore star Adam Sandler could be all set for Oscar glory with his new movie. Sadly, no, it’s not Happy Gilmore 2. The beloved actor and comedian will reunite with Netflix once again for an upcoming coming-of-age comedy-drama, with a source who's seen the movie revealing that, not only will the streamer campaign hard for Sandler to be considered by the Academy, but that could even win a coveted golden statue.

Titled Jay Kelly, the movie is being helmed by Academy Award nominee and Marriage Story director Noah Baumbach, and could be described as a coming-of-middle-age comedy as it follows friends, played by Sandler and George Clooney, who rediscover their youthful spirit during a chaotic reunion.

Now, buzz from an early screening (via World of Reel) has emerged, with “industry sources, journalists, and test reports” stating that Sandler steals the show in Jay Kelly, with the Billy Madison star delivering a career-best performance.

Family Equality’s Night at the Pier gala has set its sights on a power Hollywood couple to honor on May 12.

Uber-manager and Untitled Entertainment founding partner Jason Weinberg and his screenwriter husband Merritt Johnson will be feted at Pier Sixty in New York with the Luigi Caiola Luminary Award at an event set to celebrate love, equality, family and inspiration, as well as a decade of marriage equality thanks to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges.

Their honor will be presented by clients and close friends like Oscar nominee Demi Moore, Marlo Thomas and Debbie Harry. Other planned tributes include Peggy Gillespie, co-founder and director of Family Diversity Projects, receiving the Hostetter-Habib Family Award presented by renowned choreographer Bill T. Jones. The night’s program also plans talent performances from Broadway shows like The Outsiders, Six, The Wiz, Kimberly Akimbo, Some Like it Hot and more.

Fans of golf and/or hockey and/or Adam Sandler should mark their calendars for April 27th and 30th, as Universal Pictures has announced plans to re-release the seminal 1996 film Happy Gilmore in theaters.

Happy Gilmore was Sandler’s second major starring role following 1995’s Billy Madison. The movie featured the SNL alum as a hotheaded aspiring hockey player who discovers a more lucrative use for his killer slapshot — professional golf — just when he’s in desperate need of cash to save his grandmother’s house.

Directed by Dennis Dugan, Happy Gilmore also stars Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, and the late great Carl Weathers. Ben Stiller makes an uncredited appearance as a nursing home orderly who abuses Happy’s grandma (Frances Bay).

Thanks to Universal, tickets are on sale now for the late April screenings on Fandango. While this re-release is happening a year before the movie’s official 30th anniversary,...

As casting announcements continue to roll in, speculation and excitement has only grown surrounding Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to his critical and box office hit “Oppenheimer,” which won him the Academy Award for best director.

“The Odyssey” is a classic piece of literature by Homer that is divided between 24 different books, preceded by “The Iliad.” It tells the 10-year journey story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he travels home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters multiple perils and discovers the death of his crewmates. Telemachus (Odysseus’ son), Penelope (Odysseus’ wife), Athena, Circe, Poseidon and Zeus are all major characters.

Historians and scholars date “The Odyssey” to sometime between 750-650 BC. The first printed Greek version became available in 1488. In the centuries since, it has remained one of the most studied, adapted and parodied stories ever with adaptations including the 1911 silent film by Giuseppe de Liguoro, 1954’s...

Shooting continues on The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan's first fantasy epic, The Odyssey, we have a new look at Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland on set as Telemachus.

The British actor is expected to play the son of Matt Damon's Odysseus and was spotted alongside The Walking Dead alum Samantha Morton. It was originally believed to be Anne Hathaway that Holland was shooting scenes with, though closer images suggest otherwise. The current belief is that Morton will play Eurycleia, Odysseus and his family's loyal servant.

Holland looks suitably regal here, though it's hard to piece where exactly in the story this scene is playing out.

Chances are Holland is getting close to wrapping up work on the movie as he's expected to shoot Spider-Man: Brand New Home in the coming months and will almost certainly have a role in Avengers: Doomsday.

However, we've previously heard...

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has drawn criticism over the past few years for playing versions of himself in his movies. But, A24's The Smashing Machine, directed by Uncut Gems' Benny Safdie, is giving the actor and former WWE star a chance to truly transform. In the upcoming film, Johnson will move away from playing another quipping action hero to bring the real Mma legend, Mark Kerr, to life in the new biopic.

New images of Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr have been released, and it might be The Rock's most drastic transformation so far. The images were shared on Instagram by Kerr himself. When "The Rock" and "transformation" are used in the same sentence, many assume it to be a physical transformation, with the muscular actor getting in even better shape. While that is also true in this case, as Johnson appears to have bulked up significantly for The Smashing Machine,...

It feels like a lifetime ago when Black Adam premiered and bombed at the box office, and while that’s already behind us—and buried deep in the farthest corner of our consciousness—Dwayne Johnson’s recent photos as Mark Kerr made us remember how Black Adam should have looked like.

The former wrestler turned movie star ventures into a different kind of acting in Benny Safdie’s biopic sports drama, The Smashing Machine, and The Rock looks totally unrecognizable! This is also the start of Johnson’s career in arthouse movies, and who knows? He might stick to it in the long run.

Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine / Credits: A24 Dwayne Johnson’s recent transformation should have been Black Adam’s look

Dwayne Johnson’s career continued to soar despite the failure of Black Adam, and now he’s starring in his first independent movie since 2005’s Southland Tales.

As filming continues on Christopher Nolan's star-studded adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey in Favignana, Italy, we may have word on the character another key cast member will play in the movie.

According to Italian magazine Chi, Robert Pattinson will portray Hermes.

In ancient Greek mythology, Hermes was a mischievous deity who was known as the herald and messenger of the Olympian gods, often tasked with delivering messages and guiding souls to the underworld. He was also associated with trade, luck, fertility, animal husbandry, sleep, language, thieves, and travel.

Only Matt Damon's role as Odysseus has been confirmed, but it's believed that Tom Holland will take on the role of his son, Telemachus, with Zendaya as the goddess Athena.

Greek media site OneMan.com recently shed some light on which mythological heroes and villains a good chunk of the other actors will play.

Just in case some of these...

Darius Khondji says Ari Aster’s Eddington is going to be “very different from his other movies”, as he prepares to begin colouring the film ahead of what he claims will be a Cannes launch.

The acclaimed French-Iranian cinematographer spoke to Screen after his masterclass on Saturday, April 5 at the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra lab.

With a cast including Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone, Khondji says Eddington has “actors that I was dreaming to work with again.”

“It’s going to be very different from his other movies,” said Khondji. “Ari is a deep, strong filmmaker. He has the talent,...