Dwayne Johnson faces shocking career disaster with latest film

Dwayne Johnson faced a surprising stumble at the box office this weekend as his latest film opened to just $5.9 million in the U.S, marking the lowest debut of his career.

The R-rated biopic, The Smashing Machine, about UFC champion Mark Kerr was a personal project for Johnson and directed by Benny Safdie, who won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

The movie got high hopes after its Venice premiere, where it received strong reviews and a long standing ovation.

Audiences were surprised when the story focused on addiction rather than a typical underdog sports tale.

However, the film earned a B- CinemaScore, showing that it struggled to win over mainstream viewers.

With a $50 million budget, backed partly by tax credits and an estimated $35 million in foreign sales, the movie is expected to lose about $10–15 million.

A24 faced criticism for its marketing, which focused heavily on online promotion and tastemaker audiences while missing older viewers.

The film also had tough competition from other releases, including Taylor Swift’s surprise Release Party for a Showgirl, which drew attention and theater space.

A report said that Wrestling-themed movies often have a limited box office ceiling, but Johnson’s film still opened higher than similar titles like The Wrestler and The Iron Claw.

The Rock, who took a big pay cut for the project, said the film changed his life and reminded him why he chooses challenging roles.

Moreover, fans can expect Dwayne Johnson to bounce back with major upcoming projects, including Disney’s live-action Moana and Sony’s Jumanji 3 in 2026.