Dwayne Johnson sparks Oscar talk with The Smashing Machine

Dwayne Johnson is stepping away from his action-hero persona for something far more intense — a dramatic transformation in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on Monday and has already ignited Oscar speculation.

Could Dwayne Johnson clinch Oscar glory at Venice Film Festival?

The biographical drama follows Mark Kerr, a two-time UFC heavyweight tournament winner whose dominance in the ring was matched by his private struggles with addiction to painkillers and opioids. Kerr’s turbulent life, including two overdoses, makes for a stark departure from Johnson’s usual roles in franchises like Jumanji and Fast & Furious. Emily Blunt co-stars as Dawn Staples, Kerr’s wife.

Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera called Johnson “absolutely amazing” in the role and hinted that both Johnson and Blunt could be strong Oscar contenders next year. The festival has a strong track record for launching awards-season favourites, including Brendan Fraser’s The Whale and Adrien Brody’s The Brutalist — both also released by A24.

Safdie, who co-directed Uncut Gems with his brother Josh and recently appeared in Oppenheimer, described the film as an exploration of identity and vulnerability behind Kerr’s violent persona. “We wanted this movie to exist as a memory for everyone who watches it,” he said in his director’s statement, calling the title “a perfect onomatopoeia for something visual, conjuring images of domination and destruction with ease.”

The Venice Film Festival competition lineup also includes Frankenstein, Bugonia, The Voice of Hind Rajab, La Grazia, and No Other Choice. Winners will be announced on 6 September. The Smashing Machine opens in North American cinemas on 3 October.

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