Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has revealed why he felt compelled to step away from the world of Hollywood blockbusters in favour of a more serious, dramatic project. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival ahead of the premiere of his new film The Smashing Machine, Johnson admitted he had a “burning desire” to pursue a role unlike anything he’d tackled before.
Directed by Benny Safdie and co-starring Emily Blunt, The Smashing Machine sees Johnson portray former UFC fighter Mark Kerr, whose career and personal struggles made him one of the sport’s most complex figures. The part represents a striking departure for Johnson, best known for big-budget adventures like Jumanji, Moana, and Fast & Furious.
Reflecting on the shift, Johnson confessed that he had become defined by the chase for box office numbers. “When you’re in Hollywood, it becomes about box office,” he explained. “You chase the box office, and that can push you into a category. But I realised I had this burning desire, and a voice in my head saying, ‘What if there is more?’”
Johnson credited Emily Blunt—his co-star in Disney’s Jungle Cruise and here playing Kerr’s girlfriend Dawn Staples—with encouraging him to take the leap into more demanding dramatic territory.
The move also follows a turning point in Johnson’s blockbuster career. His 2022 DC film Black Adam was billed as the start of a new era, even teasing a future showdown with Henry Cavill’s Superman. But only weeks after its release, James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed co-heads of DC Studios, choosing to reset the franchise entirely. Johnson’s ambitious plans for the character were shelved, with Gunn instead steering the DC Universe toward a fresh relaunch beginning with Superman in 2025.
Against that backdrop, Johnson’s choice to pivot away from superhero spectacle into raw, character-driven drama signals a new creative chapter—one less defined by box office categories and more by personal challenge.
The Smashing Machine premieres at Venice before its wide theatrical release on October 3rd, 2025.