**Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Faces Setback as New Movie Becomes Lowest Grossing Opening of His Career**
*Published Oct. 7, 2025, 6:35 p.m. ET*
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has found himself in a tough spot after his latest film, *The Smashing Machine*, flopped at the box office, marking the lowest-grossing opening of his career, RadarOnline.com can report. The movie, which saw the wrestler-turned-actor undergo an intense body transformation, managed to pull in just a modest $5.9 million domestically. This figure even undercuts his previous low with the 2010 thriller *Faster*, which took in $8.5 million (not adjusted for inflation).
Johnson packed on 30 pounds of muscle to portray two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr in this biographical film. The R-rated drama was a passion project for the 53-year-old actor, who openly shared his pride on Instagram, calling it his “honor to transform in this role.”
> “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,” Johnson wrote. “And I will always run to that opportunity.”
Despite his commitment and transformation, it was fans who seemed to be running away from theaters. Reddit users dissected what went wrong with *The Smashing Machine* in a chat room dedicated to the film.
> “I feel like if this was a biopic about someone more people were familiar with, then it probably would’ve done a little bit better,” one user commented. “But then again sports biopics in general are a tougher sell.”
Another reasoned:
> “This is the UFC equivalent of a baseball movie about guys in the 1890s, pre-World Series era—it’s just not that much of a draw. It’s an important person but just not interesting enough for current fans.”
One fan added:
> “Despite the movie crashing financially, Rock did turn in a great performance. Hope these results don’t discourage him from more dramatic work.”
### Johnson’s Award-Winning Performance
Indeed, Johnson’s portrayal has been widely praised, with many suggesting the film instantly positions him for a Best Actor Oscar race. The former *Tooth Fairy* star even received a 15-minute standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival last month.
However, insiders tell RadarOnline.com that “deep-rooted Oscar prejudice” against blockbuster action stars may prevent him from ever taking home the coveted award.
> “Dwayne will never get a best actor Oscar,” said a source close to the Academy. “Hollywood has a long memory, and many voters still see him as a WWE entertainer who makes popcorn movies. No matter how strong his work is, the snobbery lingers.”
Johnson’s performance is frequently compared to Mickey Rourke’s acclaimed role in Darren Aronofsky’s *The Wrestler* (2008). Both films delve into fighters grappling with physical decline and personal demons. While Rourke earned an Oscar nomination for his role, analysts doubt Johnson will even receive a nod.
### Not Chickening Out
Despite the setback, Johnson remains undeterred and is already challenging himself with his next role. Instead of bulking up to play an ultimate fighter, “The Rock” is shedding pounds to play an eccentric 70-year-old named “Chicken Man” in the feature adaptation of Daniel Pinkwater’s young adult novel *Lizard Music*.
At the Toronto International Film Festival, Johnson revealed that he had already lost much of the muscle gained for *The Smashing Machine* and still has more weight to lose.
> “I still have a long way to go,” he told a crowd during a special career retrospective discussion. “I’m so excited to get a chance to hopefully transform again like I was able to do in *Smashing Machine*.”
### Art for Art’s Sake
These more artistic projects are part of a broader career renaissance for the former WWE champion, who has expressed eagerness to act outside of his usual box-office action roles. Over the years, Johnson has spoken about how the entertainment industry tends to “pigeon-hole” actors into specific “lanes,” a frustration he’s determined to break free from.
> “This transformation was something I was really hungry to do,” Johnson said, without a hint of irony. “I had been very fortunate to have the career that I’ve had over the years and to make the films that I’ve made, but there was just a voice inside of me, a little voice that said, ‘Well, what if I could do more – I want to do more, and what does that look like?’”
As Johnson continues to push boundaries and explore complex, dramatic roles, fans and critics alike will be watching to see how far his artistic evolution will take him.
https://radaronline.com/p/dwayne-rock-johnson-box-office-flop-smashing-machine-transformation-health-concerns/