Dwayne Johnson Reacts To Smashing Machine’s Poor Box Office Performance, And Here’s What I Hope This Doesn’t Mean For The Future

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Despite receiving excellent reviews and a 15-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s new film, *The Smashing Machine*, didn’t perform well at the box office this weekend, earning only $6 million domestically. This is his lowest opening weekend ever, though it wasn’t predicted to be a massive hit like his other films. While the disappointing results are surprising considering the early awards talk, Johnson seems to be handling it well. Hopefully, this won’t discourage him from taking on more diverse and challenging roles in the future.

Johnson doesn’t seem rattled by the poor financial results of his latest flick, honestly, far from it. In a heartfelt Instagram post, which can be seen below, the actor reflected on what the experience meant to him.

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It seems the actor from *The Mummy Returns* isn’t too worried about his recent movie’s disappointing performance. I’m hoping this isn’t the end of his recent streak of choosing more challenging and exciting roles, like the upcoming film *Lizard Music* with A24, and another project he’s doing with Martin Scorsese. While he’s known for action films, I’m really hoping to see him fully embrace a more diverse range of characters and continue this promising career shift.

Honestly, I was a little surprised by how few people showed up. Everyone was talking about this movie, especially after the buzz around Johnson’s performance – he really transformed himself playing that MMA fighter, Mark Kerr, and a lot of people thought he’d be an Oscar contender. But, let’s face it, these days people are pickier about going to the cinema, particularly for more serious, grown-up dramas. Even a great indie film with a big name attached has a tough time now.

Honestly, after seeing how *The Smashing Machine* was received, I was curious if Dwayne Johnson would shy away from riskier projects. But his reaction actually gave me hope! He called working with director Benny Safdie an “honor” and even said the film “changed his life.” That’s exactly what we need to see more of from actors. While it didn’t exactly break box office records, this feels like a really important move for Johnson. It’s so different from his usual blockbuster fare – forget *Black Adam* or *Hobbs & Shaw*. This is a raw, vulnerable, and often difficult film about a man grappling with addiction, fame, and figuring out who he is. It’s a bold choice, and I respect him for taking it.

However, the film is facing a difficult box office situation. With a production cost of around $50 million (according to Variety), and even more spent on marketing, it will be hard to make a profit. It opened in theaters after two other films – *Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl* and Paul Thomas Anderson’s *One Battle After Another* – which both drew much bigger crowds.

I don’t want this recent misstep to discourage Dwayne Johnson from taking risks or working with innovative directors like the Safdie brothers. My hope is that he, and other actors watching, realize that while these kinds of projects might not be instant blockbusters, they can still have a lasting impact. There’s a good chance *The Smashing Machine* will find viewers on streaming platforms – A24 films often become available on services like HBO Max – and that Dwayne Johnson will finally receive the praise this performance deserves.

The movie is still showing in theaters and has the potential to become popular again, as it’s part of the 2025 release schedule. See your local movie listings for times and tickets.

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2025-10-07 17:08