A24 has released the first trailer for The Smashing Machine, the directorial debut of Benny Safdie and one of the year’s most anticipated transformations. In a drastic departure from his usual blockbuster persona, Dwayne Johnson fully disappears into the role of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter whose career was as brutal as it was tragic.

Set in the late ‘90s, The Smashing Machine chronicles Kerr’s meteoric rise during the early days of the UFC, where he earned his nickname through sheer dominance in the ring. But behind the scenes, he struggled with addiction, injury, and an unraveling personal life. Johnson’s portrayal in the trailer is startlingly raw - gone is the glossy charm and superhero swagger, replaced by a quiet, hulking vulnerability. It’s a performance that already feels like a career milestone.

Safdie, one-half of the directing duo behind Uncut Gems and Good Time, marks his solo filmmaking debut here, and his fingerprints are all over the footage. The trailer pulses with the same intensity and claustrophobia that defined his earlier work, only this time channeled through the blood, sweat, and pain of bare-knuckle combat. Cinematographer Maceo Bishop (The Curse) brings a grainy, analog texture that makes the era feel lived-in and scarily real.

Also starring is Emily Blunt as Dawn Staples, Kerr’s partner and a central figure in his emotional turmoil. The trailer hints at a turbulent relationship pushed to its limits, suggesting the film will hit just as hard outside the cage as it does within.

The Smashing Machine is adapted from the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name, which chronicled Kerr’s highs and lows with haunting intimacy. Safdie’s version looks to amplify that emotional core with narrative muscle, giving Johnson the chance to show a level of range he’s rarely been afforded.

A24 has built a reputation on transformative performances and edgy storytelling, and The Smashing Machine looks poised to continue that trend. The film premieres later this year, and if the trailer’s any indication, it might just redefine what we expect from The Rock - and from sports dramas in general.

'The Smashing Machine' comes to theaters October 3rd.