6 Reasons Why Dwayne Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ Was Knocked Out at the Box Office

Dwayne Johnson's R-rated sports drama, "The Smashing Machine," experienced a catastrophic box office debut, earning only $6 million, representing a career-worst opening for the A-list star and a significant financial loss for A24, which invested $50 million in its production. The film presented Johnson in a rare, gritty dramatic role as wrestler Mark Kerr, a departure from his established action and family-friendly franchises, which may have confused audiences about the movie's intended appeal. While critics were largely receptive, evidenced by a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, general audiences gave it a poor "B-" grade on CinemaScore exit polls, indicating dissatisfaction, likely due to the absence of expected action sequences. The film's marketing positioned it as an arthouse drama with awards potential, yet the actual audience skewed heavily toward younger men, the typical demographic for Johnson's blockbuster fare, leading to an identity crisis. Furthermore, the $50 million price tag, combined with a wide release, means the film needs over $100 million just to break even, a benchmark rarely met by A24 films, and international prospects are limited because American wrestling dramas don't typically travel well. Expectations for the opening weekend dropped drastically from an initial $17 million projection down to the final $6 million figure, largely attributed to poor word-of-mouth once initial ticket buyers began sharing their disappointment.