Dwayne Johnson film on MMA legend Mark Kerr gets Benny Safdie as director

Benny Safdie is on board to helm the Dwayne Johnson film on MMA and UFC champion Mark Kerr. The film is titled The Smashing Machine. 

According to the official synopsis: “The Smashing Machine is a drama based on the story of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC at the peak of his career. He struggles with addiction, winning, love and friendship in the year 2000.”

For the unversed, Mark Kerr is an American former wrestler and MMA icon, was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner. Over the course of his career, he won over two dozen MMA titles. In 2003, Kerr was the subject of an HBO documentary, also titled The Smashing Machine.

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The film will be produced by Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions along with Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush and David Koplan. A24 has joined as a producer and financier.

In a statement, A24’s Noah Sacco said, “Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark’s inspiring story is electrifying. We are deeply honoured to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life.”