Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ off to slow start, registers career-low numbers at box office

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s latest film, The Smashing Machine, has failed to pack a punch at the global box office. The R-rated sports drama, directed by Benny Safdie, opened to a disappointing $6 million in North America — marking one of the lowest debuts of Johnson’s career.

The film’s weak start is also a major setback for A24, the studio behind the project, which reportedly spent $50 million on production and several million more on marketing.

Taking to his Instagram handle on Monday, Johnson praised director Benny Safdie for changing his life with the film and pointed out the volatile nature of the "box office" collections in the world of cinema.

"From deep in my grateful bones, thank you to everyone who has watched 'The Smashing Machine'. In our storytelling world, you can't control box office results -- but what I realised you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity," wrote Dwayne Johnson.

While expressing his gratitude to director Benny Safdie for casting him in the role of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, the actor wrote, “It was my honour to transform in this role for my director, Benny Safdie. Thank you brother for believing in me. Truth i,s this film has changed my life. With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, DJ.”

A Risk That Didn’t Pay Off

Billed as a gritty sports drama about an ageing wrestler, The Smashing Machine was expected to showcase a new side of Johnson — far removed from his usual action-heavy, family-friendly blockbusters. A24 positioned it as a prestige film with awards potential, even premiering it at the Venice Film Festival, where it earned 15 minutes of applause and won Safdie the Best Director award, Variety reported.

However, that festival acclaim didn’t translate into ticket sales. According to reports, the film performed best among young male audiences (aged 18–36) — the same demographic that typically watches Johnson’s commercial films. Meanwhile, older arthouse audiences, a key group for awards-season titles, largely stayed away.

What Went Wrong?

Trade analysts have cited a mix of factors behind the disappointing opening.

First, the marketing approach left the film struggling with an identity crisis — positioned between an indie character study and a mainstream sports drama. Audiences expecting an adrenaline-fuelled “Rock movie” were met with an introspective, dialogue-driven narrative.

Second, analysts say the budget was unusually high for an arthouse-style film. “Johnson commands a big paycheck, but with a $50 million price tag, it made the project far riskier for A24,” box office consultant David A. Gross told Variety.

The studio also opted for a wide release in over 3,000 theatres, skipping the usual slow rollout used for smaller films. As a result, The Smashing Machine would need to earn over $100 million globally to break even — a number only a handful of A24 titles have ever achieved.

Adding to the challenge, sports dramas tend to underperform internationally, where audiences are less familiar with American wrestling culture.

From Hype To Hard Reality

Early tracking suggested an opening of $15–17 million, but estimates kept dropping as word-of-mouth spread. Viewers reported disappointment with the lack of action and uneven pacing, pushing final opening weekend earnings down to $6 million. Rival studios expect that number to fall slightly further once the weekend totals are finalised.

The film is now projected to wrap up its domestic run with around $15 million, far below expectations.

When Festival Buzz Fades

At Venice, The Smashing Machine was hailed as Johnson’s most transformative performance — a potential Oscar contender. But as box office analysts point out, festival hype doesn’t always convert into mainstream appeal. “Some films are built for critical acclaim, not commercial success,” one distributor told Variety.

The Bigger Picture

The film’s underperformance also comes in a weekend dominated by Taylor Swift’s new concert film, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, which opened to a massive $33 million, overshadowing most new releases.

Still, experts believe the overlap between the two audiences was minimal. “There’s no real crossover between Swift’s fanbase and a male-driven sports drama,” said Shawn Robbins of Box Office Theory.

While The Smashing Machine may still find appreciation among critics and awards voters, its box office results show that even global stars like Dwayne Johnson aren’t immune to audience fatigue — especially when stepping outside their comfort zones.