Could Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's Oscar dreams be crumbling before our eyes? The Smashing Machine, his highly anticipated biopic, has stumbled out of the gate, leaving industry insiders scratching their heads and Johnson's award aspirations hanging in the balance. But here's where it gets controversial: Is this a mere bump in the road for the former WWE champion turned Hollywood heavyweight, or a sign of a shifting tide in his career?
Once upon a time, Dwayne Johnson was Hollywood's golden boy, a box office juggernaut whose name guaranteed blockbuster success. Yet, like many action heroes before him, his star power seems to be dimming. In a bold move to reinvent himself as a 'serious' actor, Johnson took on the transformative role of UFC fighter Mark Kerr in A24's The Smashing Machine. The film received a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, and while reviews have been generally positive (73% on Rotten Tomatoes), they haven't been the rave critiques needed to fuel a major awards campaign. And this is the part most people miss: Critics argue Johnson may have tried too hard to court Oscar attention, potentially overshadowing his performance.
The real blow came this past weekend when The Smashing Machine opened to a mere $5.9 million at the North American box office—the lowest debut of Johnson's career. This is a far cry from the projected $20 million opening, and Deadline reports the film could lose a staggering $10-$15 million, making it a costly flop. To put things in perspective, Johnson's usual paycheck hovers around $20 million, but for this passion project, he reportedly accepted a significantly lower $4 million, even sharing a portion with co-star Emily Blunt and Kerr himself.
So, what went wrong? Some blame the simultaneous release of Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, but Shawn Robbins, director of movie analytics at Fandango, dismisses this theory, stating there's little audience overlap between Swift's fanbase and a male-driven sports drama. The more likely culprit? Audience apathy. Mark Kerr, while a legend in UFC circles, isn't a household name, limiting the film's appeal to niche audiences already familiar with his story.
Johnson's recent career choices haven't helped his cause. His attempt to dominate the DCEU with Black Adam fell flat, and his return to WWE last year, seemingly to overshadow Cody Rhodes, alienated some fans. In a candid social media post, Johnson reflected, 'In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results — but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity.'
But here's the million-dollar question: Can Dwayne Johnson reclaim his box office crown and Oscar dreams, or is he destined to become another action star struggling to transition to serious roles? Is The Smashing Machine a temporary setback or a harbinger of things to come? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
