EntertainmentPosted at: Oct 7 2025 10:58PM


Dwayne Johnson reflects philosophically on 'The Smashing Machine's commercial shortfall

Los Angeles, Oct 7 (UNI) Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has approached the underwhelming commercial reception of his latest dramatic undertaking, "The Smashing Machine" with equanimity and introspection.
The Smashing Machine - a sports drama about MMA legend Mark Kerr - took just $5.9 million (£4.3 million) at the US box office, a career-worst debut for one of Johnson's films; his successes include the 'Fast & Furious' franchise and 'Jumanji' films.
Writing on Instagram, the star framed the results as a creative achievement rather than a financial disappointment. "In our storytelling world, you can't control box office results," he wrote. "But what I realised you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere".
The $50 million (£ 37 million) production explores Kerr's rise during the formative, largely unregulated days of the UFC in the 1990s, juxtaposing his meteoric athletic achievements with personal struggles, including addiction and the pressures of fame. Johnson, drawing on his background as a professional wrestler, had long been fascinated by Kerr's story, seeing echoes of his own career.
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival earlier this summer, the arthouse biopic film received rave reviews, reports BBC.
"The actor delivers an intoxicating mix of blood, sweat, tears, protein and total helplessness," wrote The Hollywood Reporter.
Empire magazine called it "the best work of his career".
However, audiences failed to materialise.
As well as the disappointing US box office, the film came fourth in the UK charts, making just £863,078 - less than the 'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale', which has already been in cinemas for a month.
Audience tracking for the US suggested that 70 per cent of ticket-buyers were male and 64 per cent were between the ages of 18 to 36 - the traditional audience for Johnson's action movies.
Only 8 pc were above 55 years old, a key demographic for arthouse releases.
Those who attended the film were apparently disappointed in the lack of action scenes, with audiences giving a lukewarm "B-" grade in exit polls, Variety said, while exploring why the film "flopped in its box office debut".
Johnson tried to temper those expectations in the run-up to the release.
"It's not a fight movie, it's a life movie," he said at the red carpet premiere last month.
"Mark Kerr's life represents so much of everyone around the world, but not, 'Oh, he's the greatest fighter on the planet,' but more so, 'Oh, he struggled with pressure and how to deal with pressure,'" Johnson explained.
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