Before Dwayne Johnson placed the UFC’s “BMF” belt on Jorge Masvidal at UFC 244 last Saturday, he took the stage at Friday’s pre-fight weigh-ins to announce an upcoming movie about retired two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner and PRIDE fighter Mark Kerr, aka The Smashing Machine. Johnson and Dany Garcia’s company Seven Bucks Productions is producing the biopic, and The Rock himself will star in it.
Kerr is retired, but he was as much a pioneer in the sport as he was a controversial athlete who dealt with his fair share of demons over the course of his career. The 2002 HBO documentary The Smashing Machinegave insight into his background, MMA career, struggle with addiction, and tumultuous relationships. Johnson’s upcoming film will be the first scripted take on Kerr’s life story.
Check out the announcement here:
On Monday, Johnson took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the project, which will be his first truly dramatic movie role.
While the Rock is a longtime MMA fan, he says he has no plans to step into the Octagon himself.
“The most successful part of my Octagon career, I’m sure, would be my entrance music,” he said at the weigh-ins. “That’s where it would end.”
Johnson hasn’t revealed more details about the film, so we’ll just have to wait to find out more. But one thing’s for sure, it’s no the only film Seven Bucks Productions has in the works.
The Rock took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a “very special movie” that Seven Bucks Productions is “honored to make” recounting the story of National Wrestling Hall of Fame wrestler Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and refused to wear a prosthetic. He overcame countless obstacles to become a three-time All-American and 2011 NCAA National Champion wrestler.
