Dwayne Johnson’s newest film, The Smashing Machine, had the worst opening weekend of his profession — however the Rock says he’s not fearful about that.
The Smashing Machine, which stars Johnson as MMA legend Mark Kerr, grossed simply $5.9 million over the weekend. That was solely ok for third on the weekend box-office chart behind Taylor Swift: The Official Launch Social gathering of a Showgirl, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After One other. Field-office consultants had anticipated the film to make someplace within the $8-15 million vary, that means it did not even hit the low-end of their projections.
However in a publish to his Instagram account, Johnson talked concerning the “honor” he felt being related to the venture.
“From deep in my grateful bones, thanks to everybody who has watched The Smashing Machine, he wrote, including…
In our storytelling world, you possibly can’t management field workplace outcomes — however what I noticed you possibly can management is your efficiency, and your dedication to fully disappear and go elsewhere. And I’ll at all times run to that chance. It was my honor to remodel on this function for my director Benny Safdie @bowedtie. Thanks brother for believing in me. Reality is that this movie has modified my life. With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, dj
In different phrases: The Rock is aware of his function, and he isn’t going to close his mouth.
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A24 reportedly spent some $50 million on The Smashing Machine, a quantity that supposedly doesn’t embody no matter further funds the corporate spent on advertising and marketing the venture. The movie, and notably Johnson’s efficiency, earned robust (though not universally optimistic) from critics after a run in fall movie festivals together with Venice and Toronto.
The movie follows UFC fighter Mark Kerr throughout the early years of mixed-martial arts’ development all through the world. Accidents sustained within the sport lead him to drug abuse, which in flip impacts his relationship together with his girlfriend Daybreak (Emily Blunt). Johnson donned elaborate prosthetic make-up to painting Kerr.
Throughout its tour of festivals, quite a few awards consultants predicted Johnson may very well be in line for an Oscar nomination for Greatest Actor. It stays to be seen whether or not the movie’s subpar box-office efficiency will have an effect on Johnson’s probabilities at an Oscar nom this yr.

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Gallery Credit score: Erica Russell
