Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt is in talks to star opposite Dwayne Johnson in MMA biopic “The Smashing Machine” for A24, the company announced on Thursday. Johnson and Blunt previously collaborated together on Disney’s “Jungle Cruise.”
Blunt would play Dawn Staples, the new wife to MMA champion Mark Kerr (Johnson). While trying to set up a new life together, Dawn struggles to find her place within Mark’s chaotic and contradictory world.
“The Smashing Machine” is written and directed by Benny Safdie and produced and financed by A24. The film is a drama based on the story of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC. He struggles with addiction, winning, love and friendship in the year 2000.
Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions will produce alongside Benny Safdie’s Out for the Count banner, Eli Bush and David Koplan. Johnson and Safdie have been collaborators on the project since Seven Bucks Productions acquired the rights in 2019. A24 has joined as a partner.
Blunt is currently nomninated for Best Supporting Actress in this year’s Academy Awards for her performance as Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer in Christophar Nolan’s opus “Oppenheimer.” She will next be seen opposite Ryan Gosling in Universal’s “The Fall Guy.”
Emily Blunt is repped by CAA, The Artists Partnership, David Weber of Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.