VENICE, ITALY – Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt are collaborating ​with director Benny Safdie on The Smashing‍ machine, a biographical drama ‌centered around MMA fighter Mark Kerr, unveiled at the Venice Film Festival. ⁤The film marks a significant departure for Johnson,known ⁢for his action roles,and offers Blunt ​a complex‍ portrayal of Kerr’s⁢ girlfriend,Dawn ⁣Staples.Johnson, reflecting on his career, revealed a desire to explore beyond the roles that initially defined him. “I made those‌ movies, and I liked them. They were fun. Some ⁤were really good and did well. And some not so much. But what I‌ did realize is that I had this burning ‍desire, and a voice in my head having mentioned ⁢that, What if there is more?” He acknowledged the challenges of breaking free from typecasting, stating⁣ it requires support from trusted colleagues. “When your ‘pigeonholed’ ⁤as an actor, it becomes increasingly difficult to push yourself artistically. ‍It is indeed only possible to switch directions when ‘people who you love and you respect, ‍like Emily and Benny,‍ say, ⁢you⁣ can do it.'”

The film focuses on Kerr’s extraordinary fighting career, ‌which included being a two-time UFC Heavyweight ⁢Tournament Champion, a World Vale⁢ Tudo​ Championship​ tournament winner, a Pride ‌FC‍ heavyweight⁣ champion, a 1992 NCAA national wrestling champion,‌ a 1994 National Freestyle Champion, and a 4x ADCC World Submission Champion. Kerr’s life was previously chronicled in ​a 2003 HBO documentary, also titled The ​Smashing Machine, detailing his career⁣ in Vale​ Tudo, the ‌UFC, and Pride.

Blunt ⁣expressed her enthusiasm for ⁢portraying Dawn Staples, ​finding significance in the presence of a female perspective​ within the brutal world of ‍MMA. “There​ was a lot going on behind ⁢closed doors of what it means to ‌live​ with​ a fighter and be with a ⁣fighter. the all-consuming world of that,” she explained.‍ Blunt further​ detailed‍ her readiness, stating, “I got to know Dawn well, and she was very⁣ generous with her story, with me, the full weather system of it, the regrets, the eruptions, the hazardous nature of the relationship at times, and the deep, ⁢profound love and devotion⁣ they had to each other amidst an unfeasible environment.”

The ⁢role differed significantly from Blunt’s previous work, which she described as more “curated” in terms ⁢of character arcs. The Smashing ⁢Machine, she saeid, offered a “full spectrum of what a relationship really looks like.” She also praised⁢ Safdie’s directing style, noting, “It ⁣was just exciting to be able to work like that with Benny’s visceral way of shooting that was so spontaneous, so it was just like ⁣the guardrails came off for us every day.”

The Smashing Machine is produced by Safdie’s Out ⁤for the Count, johnson, Dany Garcia, and hiram Garcia for Seven⁢ Bucks Productions, along with David‌ Koplan and Eli Bush. The cast also includes Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk. A24⁣ will release the film theatrically on October 3. ‍the Venice Film Festival continues through September 6.