Dwayne Johnson reacts to career-low opening of The Smashing Machine, here’s what he said

Dwayne Johnson, Hollywood’s beloved action star, is embracing a philosophical approach after his latest release, The Smashing Machine, recorded the lowest opening weekend of his career. The Benny Safdie-directed sports biopic, which chronicles the life of UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr, opened to a modest $6 million in the U.S., against a hefty $50 million production budget.

For Johnson, who has fronted global blockbusters like Fast & Furious, Jumanji, and Black Adam, this marks an unexpected box office stumble. Yet, the actor remains unshaken.

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Dwayne Johnson's reaction

Taking to Instagram, Johnson reflected on the experience, writing, “From deep in my grateful bones, thank you to everyone who has watched The Smashing Machine. In our storytelling world, you can’t control box office results, but what I realized you can control is your performance, and your commitment to completely disappear and go elsewhere. And I will always run to that opportunity.”

He continued, “It was my honor to transform in this role for my director Benny Safdie. Thank you brother for believing in me. Truth is this film has changed my life. With deep gratitude, respect and radical empathy, DJ.”

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Critics applauded Dwayne Johnson's performance

Critics, however, have praised Johnson’s performance, with the film holding a 73% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an IMDb score of 7/10 from over 23,000 votes. The movie’s portrayal of Kerr’s rise in the unregulated early days of the UFC, his battles with opioid addiction, and his complex relationship with Dawn Staples (played by Emily Blunt) has been widely acclaimed.

Premiering at the Venice Film Festival this summer, The Smashing Machine earned rave reviews, with Empire magazine calling Johnson’s performance “the best work of his career” and The Hollywood Reporter highlighting his emotional depth as a fighter grappling with both triumph and personal struggle.

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Low Box Office opening

Audience reactions, however, told a different story. With a majority of the ticket-buyers being younger males accustomed to Johnson’s action-heavy films, many viewers expressed surprise at the film’s dramatic, slower-paced approach, resulting in a lukewarm “B-” grade in exit polls.

Dwayne is proud of the film

Despite the muted commercial response, Johnson remains proud of his dramatic turn. In interviews leading up to the release, he emphasized the film’s deeper focus on life’s pressures, resilience, and redemption rather than traditional fight sequences.

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Co-star Emily Blunt and Johnson continue to be considered potential Oscar contenders for their roles, proving that critical acclaim and artistic fulfillment can transcend box office numbers.

In a weekend dominated by Taylor Swift’s The Official Release Party of a Showgirl with $33 million, The Smashing Machine still captured the attention of audiences seeking a raw, human story in the sports biopic genre.

For Dwayne Johnson, the lesson is clear: even a career-low opening cannot diminish the personal and creative victories found in fully committing to a transformative role.