Published: Sep 8, 2025 by Dave Adamson | Last Updated: Sep 8, 2025 by Dave Adamson
Dave has been a website writer for WrestleTalk since October 2022, having previously written for Den of Geek, among a number of wrestling, movie and television-related sites. Dave has been around the independent wrestling scene for more than a decade, including behind-the-scenes.
WWE
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s next project has won its first major award after securing mainstream media praise.
The Smashing Machine is an upcoming biopic starring The Rock as Mark Kerr, the renowned MMA fighter, and directed by Benny Safdie.
With the movie set for an October release date, it was recently in competition at the Venice International Film Festival where it received a fifteen-minute ovation.
The movie has now scooped its first major award, with Safdie taking home the festival’s Silver Lion Best Director prize.
With Safdie on hand to accept the award, he praised the performance of Johnson in the movie, saying:
“Oh, my god, Dwayne. My friend. My brother. My partner. Shoulder and shoulder, that’s what he said.
“I just want to thank you for diving headfirst with a blindfold and X-ray vision.
“You truly performed with no net. (We) jumped off the cliff together.”
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Footage from the speech was shared on Twitter by Deadline, with Safdie also praising Johnson’s co-star Emily Blunt and the subject of the biopic, Mark Kerr.
The Smashing Machine is already being tipped for an Oscar nomination ahead of its general release, with Johnson’s performance being praised by multiple outlets.
The WWE star has previously commented that he felt “pigeon-holed” in his acting career while reflecting on his back catalog of movies.
The Rock has not been seen in WWE since Elimination Chamber back in March, masterminding the heel turn of John Cena.
While the man he sold his soul to may be absent, Cena has continued to be a presence, turning back face and heading towards a December final match.
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