The Smashing Machine’s Venice Triumph Ignites Oscar Buzz for Mark Kerr Biopic

Venice, Italy-September 2, 2025

The sports drama The Smashing Machine, chronicling the tumultuous life of two-time UFC heavyweight tournament champion Mark Kerr, received a thunderous reception at its world premiere on Monday evening at the 82nd Venice Film Festival. Directed by Benny Safdie and headlined by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the title role, the film was met with a remarkable 15-minute standing ovation, one of the festival’s longest this year.

Johnson’s transformative portrayal of Kerr-an undefeated MMA pioneer whose career was later derailed by a battle with opioid addiction-has generated intense Oscar speculation. Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera praised Johnson’s performance as “absolutely amazing,” suggesting it could secure the actor’s first Academy Award nomination. In interviews, Johnson described embodying Kerr’s raw vulnerability and physicality as a career-defining challenge that “definitely transformed my life”.

Kerr himself attended the screening, visibly moved alongside co-star Emily Blunt, who plays his partner Dawn Staples. Blunt reunited with Johnson after their collaboration on Jungle Cruise, earning praise for grounding the film’s emotional core. The cast also features MMA veteran Ryan Bader as Kerr’s friend-turned-rival Mark Coleman, former UFC champion Bas Rutten as himself, and boxer Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, one of Kerr’s fiercest opponents.

Originally produced by A24, The Smashing Machine delves into Kerr’s rise from NCAA Division I wrestling champion to MMA icon between 1997 and 2000, highlighting both his brutal dominance in the octagon and his personal demons. Audiences responded to the film’s gritty realism and introspective tone, hallmarks of Safdie’s directorial style.

As Johnson ventures beyond his blockbuster comfort zone, critics predict The Smashing Machine will be a major awards contender. The film opens in theaters on October 3, offering mainstream audiences a poignant look at Kerr’s legacy-both the triumphs that made him a legend and the struggles that nearly consumed him.