UPDATE: The film actually wrapped production five days ago, a few weeks earlier than planned. Yeah, this one might indeed be released in 2024.
EARLIER: This past May, Jeff Sneider was being told, by reliable sources, that Benny Safdie’s MMA biopic, “The Smashing Machine,” was being turned around in time for a December release date — and that A24 would be ready to mount an Oscar campaign for the film. A24 quickly emailed me and denied the report.
I’m now being told that, if all things go according to plan, “The Smashing Machine” might indeed be released by Christmas 2024. Nothing is locked, but that’s the tentative plan. It turns out that Safdie, in between shooting days, has also been editing ‘Smashing Machine.’
“The Smashing Machine,” which stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, started shooting in April, and A24 even managed to release a first official image for the film (see above). Dwayne Johnson is obviously going for an Oscar here, it’s a substantial and very meaty role for him.
The film is based on the life of MMA fighter Mark Kerr (Johnson). Kerr’s career peaked during the “no-holds-barred era of the UFC,” in the early 2000s. His life — filled with substance abuse addiction — sounds like it could be prime material for Safdie’s brand of visceral cinema.