Key Takeaways
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- The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson, underperformed at the box office, earning $5.8 million during its opening weekend and $19.2 million globally – falling short of its nearly $50 million production budget.
- Due to the poor performance in theaters, the film will be released digitally on November 4, 2025, and is expected to become available on Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney in early 2026.
- Despite critical acclaim for Johnsons serious portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr, the movie failed to attract theater audiences, suggesting a disconnect between its content and audience expectations.
- The digital release aims to revive the films commercial success and provide more viewers with the opportunity to watch this critically-praised performance by Dwayne Johnson.
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Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine Bounces Back Digitally from Box Office Flop (Nov 4, 2025)
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s new film, The Smashing Machine, will attempt to recover from its poor theatrical performance with a digital platform launch beginning November 4, 2025. The A24-produced movie premiered in theaters on October 3 but failed to gain traction at the box office. Despite critics praising Johnson’s serious portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr, The Smashing Machine earned only $5.8 million during its opening weekend—Johnson’s worst opening to date. Earnings declined nearly 70% in its second week, and the film’s global gross of approximately $19.2 million falls far short of its nearly $50 million production budget. Consequently, The Smashing Machine is foregoing further theatrical distribution in favor of digital platforms. It will be available for rent or purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, and YouTube Movies starting November 4. While release dates for Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney have not been announced, insiders expect the film to be available on these services in early 2026. This more vulnerable portrayal, however, did not resonate with theater audiences.
In Case You Missed It
In our latest lineup of thought-provoking articles, Bruno Pferd explores Hollywood’s current landscape in “Hollywood Continues to Accumulate Losses” Hollywood Continues to Accumulate Losses. He examines the recent box office disappointments like Leonardo DiCaprio’s “Behind the Battle”, Warner Bros’ “The Smashing Machine”, and Jennifer Lopez’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman”, while also peeking into Channing Tatum’s upcoming film, “A Thief in the Roof”. Meanwhile, Jonathan Dubinski dives into an unexpected legal battle in gaming with “Sony Unyielding: Tencent Accused of Copying Horizon” Sony Unyielding: Tencent Accused of Copying Horizon. He analyzes the ongoing dispute between Sony and Tencent over alleged similarities between their games. And in an unexpected turn, Carlos Mendoza’s “Dwayne Johnson Fails to Rescue The Smashing Machine from Failure” Dwayne Johnson Fails to Rescue “The Smashing Machine” from Failure explores how Dwayne Johnson’s latest film is making waves not at the box office, but on the festival circuit. Despite a lackluster opening weekend, “The Smashing Machine” has garnered critical acclaim and a Best Director award for Benny Safdie at the Venice Film Festival. Join us as we delve into these fascinating twists and turns in Hollywood and gaming!
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