Dwayne Johnson in “The Smashing Machine.”
A24
The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as real-life MMA and UFC icon Mark Kerr, is reportedly coming to digital streaming this week.
The Smashing Machine was released in theaters on Oct. 3. The Smashing Machine chronicles the highs and lows of Kerr’s life and career from 1997 to 2000, before the MMA fighting and the UFC became a global phenomenon.
The film also stars Emily Blunt as Kerr’s girlfriend, Dawn Staples, MMA star Ryan Bader as friend and confidant Mark Coleman and MMA icon Bas Rutten as himself.
Directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine is expected to arrive on digital streaming via premium video on demand on Tuesday, Nov. 4, according to When to Stream.
While When to Stream’s PVOD reports are typically accurate, the streaming tracker noted that the digital release date of The Smashing Machine has not been announced or confirmed by the film’s studio, A24, and it is subject to change.
When The Smashing Machine arrives on PVOD, it will be available to purchase for $24.99 on such streaming platforms as Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Prime Video and YouTube.
Since digital rental prices are typically $5 less than purchase prices, viewers can expect The Smashing Machine to be available to rent for $19.99 for a 48-hour period.
Dwayne Johnson Says His Transformation Into Mark Kerr Included Taking Real Punches
While Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson transformed physically into Mark Kerr for The Smashing Machine, he worked hard on sounding like the MMA and UFC great, too.
“This transformation was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. There was a physical transformation, prosthetics, vocal transformation — he has a very specific way of talking,” Johnson told Variety in late September.
But as Johnson found out working with director Benny Safdie, there would be more to playing Kerr than looking and sounding like him.
“When I first got together with Benny, we watched tapes of Mark, and Benny said, ‘I want to film this and never cut away from you.’ I knew what that meant,” Johnson told Variety. “He said, ‘I don’t want to cut away. I want to shoot this cinéma vérité, with a prowling camera. You have a great stunt double, but I don’t want to use him.’ So, I said, ‘Okay. If Mark gets punched, I’m getting punched.’”
Rated R, The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson, is expected to arrive on PVOD on Tuesday.