Fresh off writer-director Benny Safdie's Silver Lion Best Director Award win, we have a new trailer (via TheRingReport.com) for A24's The Smashing Machine.
This sneak peek shows us more of The Rock's transformation into MMA fighter Mark Kerr, and is full of praise for a performance that many critics believe could earn him an Oscar nomination. How likely that is remains to be seen, but if nothing else, it will help to reinvent the Fast & Furious star in the eyes of moviegoers.
The Smashing Machine has received positive reviews since its premiere last week, and sits at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. As Johnson enters a new stage of his career, he's looking to tackle more dramatic fare and appears eager to cement himself as a "serious" actor.
Johnson underwent a significant physical transformation to play Kerr, and recently made headlines for revealing his slimmed-down frame at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now, we know that's for his and Safdie's next movie, Lizard Music.
In the adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater's novel, Johnson will play a septuagenarian whose best friend is a 70-year-old chicken. "Benny pitched me this after," Johnson explained. "And after about 45 minutes, this pitch ended and I said, 'I am your Chicken Man.'"
"I still have a long way to go," the actor said of his weight loss. "I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in 'Smashing Machine.' [It means] eating less chicken."
"I felt for a few years, I was pigeonholed because I allowed it to happen," Johnson continued. "'Smashing Machine' is for me. You hope it’s like, 'Hey, we made this thing. We love it. We hope you do too, and if you don’t, it’s OK. Maybe you’ll like the next thing.'"
He added, "The films that I made in the past, I love them. I’ll go back to making them again." With that, Johnson confirmed he will start shooting a third Jumanji movie alongside Kevin Hart this November.
There's no word on whether The Rock intends to return to WWE, though it's looking increasingly unlikely. Similar to his foray into the DC Extended Universe for Black Adam, his WWE run drew mixed reviews despite being salvaged by a fun turn as the villainous "Final Boss." Johnson's creative involvement was poorly received, as was his attempt to build several shows and storylines around himself.
The story of legendary mixed martial arts & UFC fighter Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk. The movie arrives in theaters on October 3.