Dwayne Johnson could be all set for the first Oscar nomination of his career, thanks to the latest updates about his new movie. Having begun his career as a wrestler, Johnson transitioned into acting in the late 2000s with roles in movies such as The Scorpion King (2002), The Game Plan (2007), and Hercules (2014). While his acting career had a slow start, Dwayne Johnson has since become the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, receiving high praise for his performances in popular franchises, including the Jumanji reboot series, Disney’s Moana, and the Fast & Furious series.

While Dwayne Johnson is one of Hollywood’s most popular stars, the wrestler-turned-actor has seen mixed critical and commercial results with some of his most recent movies. Johnson’s comedy roles with Kevin Hart have been widely praised for the duo’s chemistry and humor, but he also received negative reviews for his Christmas comedy Red One, which bombed at the box office. Johnson has experienced many highs and lows in his acting career, but his upcoming sports drama, produced by A24, could see him land his first Oscar nomination thanks to its release update.

The Smashing Machine’s Late 2025 Release Date Puts Dwayne Johnson In The Thick Of Awards Season

Dwayne Johnson Stars As MMA Fighter Mark Kerr In The Smashing Machine

Dwayne Johnson is set to star in the upcoming sports drama, The Smashing Machine, distributed by A24. Written and directed by Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine explores the life and career of former wrestler and MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, who is recognized for bringing the “ground and pound” technique to both MMA and UFC and his struggles with injuries and drug addiction that heavily impacted his career and his relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn. Alongside Johnson as Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine’s cast also includes Emily Blunt, and several real MMA fighters, including Bas Rutten and Ryan Bader.

The Smashing Machine was always set for a 2025 release, and it has now been confirmed that the movie is scheduled to be released on October 3, 2025. The movie’s fall release date also sets it at a time when Johnson is offering something new to his acting career. After experiencing success in action and mixed results in comedy, Johnson’s upcoming sports biopic gives him a chance to explore his dramatic skills. According to Indiewire, The Smashing Machine is set to be Johnson’s most dramatic role to date and could place him among the contenders in awards season.

A24 Could Help Push The Smashing Machine & Dwayne Johnson To Oscars Glory Now

The Film Studio Has Seen Great Success At The Oscars

A24, founded by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, and John Hodges in 2012, is the company in charge of distributing The Smashing Machine to theaters in October 2025. A24 has seen great success at the Oscars across the years, winning 21 awards out of 79 nominations since 2016. The company became the most Oscar-winning company in 2023, winning nine awards out of 18 nominations, including Best Picture for their comedy-drama, Everything Everywhere All At Once; Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar-winning role as Evelyn Quan Wang in the movie is considered one of the best performances in an A24 movie.

The decision to release The Smashing Machine during the awards season in 2025, indicates that A24 are hopeful that their upcoming sports biopic will also receive recognition from the Oscars in 2026. Considering its previous success at the awards ceremony, the company wants to continue its Oscars’ success, so it is certainly possible that, with the right campaign plan, it could help push the movie and Dwayne Johnson to Oscars glory and build on the movie’s momentum. Although there is a slight wait for The Smashing Machine to arrive in theaters, its release date puts Dwayne Johnson‘s first dramatic role in perfect sight for potential Oscars glory.

Source: Indiewire

Oscars

8/10

The Oscars, also known as The Academy Awards, is an annual awards show celebrating workers in the film industry for their artistic and technical abilities. The Oscars are often considered the most prestigious awards show in the industry and date back to 1929. The 96th Academy Awards will be held on March 10, 2024, and be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on ABC.

Location

Los Angeles, CA

Dates

March 2, 2025

Network

ABC

Website

https://www.oscars.org/