Current:Home > StocksDwayne Johnson to star in Mark Kerr biopic from 'Uncut Gems' director Benny Safdie-LoTradeCoin
Dwayne Johnson to star in Mark Kerr biopic from 'Uncut Gems' director Benny Safdie
View Date:2024-12-23 19:48:07
Dwayne Johnson is heading back into the ring for his next big role.
Johnson, who became a household name in entertainment thanks to his wrestling persona "The Rock," has been tapped to portray mixed martial arts icon Mark Kerr in the upcoming biopic "The Smashing Machine," Johnson's representative Michelle Margolis confirmed to USA TODAY in an email Wednesday.
The film's title pays tribute to Kerr's fighting moniker of the same name.
Johnson developed the film with "Uncut Gems" co-director Benny Safdie, according to The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline. The film will mark Safdie's solo directorial debut for a feature film.
This isn't the first time Kerr's life story has received cinematic treatment. Kerr was the subject of the 2002 HBO documentary "The Smashing Machine," directed by John Hyams.
A24 will finance and co-produce the film alongside Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions and Safdie's Out for the Count banner, per THR and Deadline. The film will chronicle Kerr's personal struggles, including his battle with addiction in the early 2000s.
"Dwayne and Benny are singular talents, and their shared vision for Mark's inspiring story is electrifying," A24’s Noah Sacco said in a statement to the outlets. "We are deeply honored to have their trust as collaborators in bringing this incredibly special project to life."
Safdie, best known for his directorial work with brother Josh Safdie, co-helmed the 2019 crime thriller "Uncut Gems," which starred Adam Sandler, Julia Fox and Idina Menzel. The film was nominated for best picture at the Critics Choice Awards in 2020 and earned the Safdies a best director win at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards in 2019.
Dwayne Johnson:Actor's wax figure is getting a makeover after The Rock shared a roast about it
'I could've been better':Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson responds to Maui wildfire fund backlash
veryGood! (14)
Related
- Michael Grimm, former House member convicted of tax fraud, is paralyzed in fall from horse
- Nigerian leader says ‘massive education’ of youth will help end kidnappings threatening the capital
- Bills face more weather-related disruptions ahead AFC divisional playoff game vs. Chiefs
- St. John’s coach Rick Pitino is sidelined by COVID-19 for game against Seton Hall
- Biden, Harris participate in Veterans Day ceremony | The Excerpt
- Trump sex abuse accuser E. Jean Carroll set to testify in defamation trial over his denials
- Top official says Kansas courts need at least $2.6 million to recover from cyberattack
- Heavy snowfall and freezing rain cause flight, train cancellations across Germany
- RHOP's Candiace Dillard Bassett Gives Birth, Shares First Photos of Baby Boy
- Ryan Gosling Reveals Why His and Eva Mendes' Daughters Haven't Seen Barbie Movie
Ranking
- Eva Longoria Shares She and Her Family Have Moved Out of the United States
- Woman who sent threats to a Detroit-area election official in 2020 gets 30 days in jail
- NYPD says 2 officers shot during domestic call in Brooklyn expected to recover; suspect also wounded
- New York governor wants to spend $2.4B to help deal with migrant influx in new budget proposal
- FC Cincinnati player Marco Angulo dies at 22 after injuries from October crash
- California emergency services official sued for sexual harassment, retaliation
- At 40, the Sundance Film Festival celebrates its past and looks to the future
- Chuck E. Cheese has a 'super-sized' game show in the works amid financial woes
Recommendation
-
Kraft Heinz stops serving school-designed Lunchables because of low demand
-
Asa Hutchinson drops out of 2024 GOP presidential race after last-place finish in Iowa
-
Rhode Island governor says higher wages, better student scores and new housing among his top goals
-
Virginia Senate Democrats postpone work on constitutional amendments and kill GOP voting bills
-
The Surreal Life’s Kim Zolciak Fuels Dating Rumors With Costar Chet Hanks After Kroy Biermann Split
-
Mississippi lawmakers to weigh incentives for an EV battery plant that could employ 2,000
-
How do you handle a personal crisis at work? What managers should know. Ask HR
-
Trump's margin of victory in Iowa GOP caucuses smashed previous record