Hollywood's favorite muscle mountain, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has officially traded in his action-hero grin for tears, blood, and a touch of Oscar-worthy gravitas. The brand-new trailer for The Smashing Machine has dropped, and it's nothing short of dramatic.
In the film, Johnson takes on the role of UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, alongside Emily Blunt, who co-stars in this emotional rollercoaster. At the Venice Film Festival, Johnson's performance was met with a standing ovation that lasted around 15 minutes. Yes, you read that right, 15 minutes of people clapping while he tried not to ugly cry. Honestly, it might just be the reset button The Rock needed for a career that was slowly drowning in CGI explosions and Fast & Furious cameos.
It's refreshing to see Johnson finally flexing something other than his biceps. And if the festival buzz is any indication, he might just have his eyes set on something shinier than box office nunbers: that little golden staue called the Oscar.
The Rock's shocking transformation: From tank to "Chicken man"
As if losing 30 pounds of pure boulder-sized muscle to play Kerr wasn't shocking enough, Johnson revealed he's slimming down even more for his next role: a 70-something eccentric nicknamed "Chicken Man" in Lizard Music, a film adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater's cult novel.
Directed by Benny Safdie. Yes, the guy behind Uncut Gems and now The Smashing Machine, this project promises to show us a Dwayne Johnson we've never seen before. According to Johson:
"Benny pitched the idea, and after 45 minutes I told him, 'I'm your Chicken Man'"
The plot? An old man whose best friend is a chicken of the same age. (No, I'm not making that up.) Johnson himself joked that the role mean eating less chicken for once, which feels like a cosmic punchline.
I'll admit it: seeing The Rock go from suplexing giant gorillas in Rampage to befriending poultry is...oddly exciting. It's either genius or career suicide, but hey, at least we're not watching Jungle Cruise 2.
A career reset: Goodbye action hero, hello actor?
Johnson himself has admitted he felt "boxed in" by years of being the go-to muscle guy in blockbusters like Jumanji and Fast & Furious. His recent transformation seems like a strategic rebrand, one that trades skyscraper climbing stunts for nuanced, meaningful storytelling. And honestly? It's about time.
The man who once defined "larger than life" now looks smaller, leaner, and dare I say...vulnerable. Critics are already whispering that The Smashing Machine could land him in the Oscar conversation, which would be one hell of a comeback for someone whose Hollywood image had started to crack under the weight of franchise fatigue and behind-the-scenes controversies.
But don't worry, Rock fans. He's not ditching blockbusters completely. Johnson confirmed that Jumanji 3 is on the horizon, with Kevin Hart back by his side. Because apparently, Hollywood can't resist putting those two in the same jungle.
This "new Rock" might finally silence the skeptics who doubted his acting chops. If he pulls this off, Johnson could go from box office juggernaut to critical darling. Not bad for a guy once known mainly for raising one eyebrow.
The Smashing Machine is out in theaters on Friday, Oct. 3.
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