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The Smashing Machine hit theatres on October 2 with high expectations, but the sports biopic has quickly turned into one of the year’s most disappointing box office stories. Built around the life of MMA fighter Mark Kerr and fronted by Dwayne Johnson, the film was expected to make an impact with its star power. Instead, a weak promotional push by A24 and a niche subject matter pushed away a large portion of potential viewers even before the opening weekend. The lack of momentum has now spread, with even interested audiences staying away after hearing about its performance.
The Smashing Machine’s Poor Box Office Numbers Despite Star Power
After more than a week in theatres, the movie has earned only $9.5 million worldwide, with 84% of that coming from domestic markets. Internationally, the film has almost no traction.
The Smashing Machine Box Office Summary
- North America – $8m
- International – $1.5m
- Worldwide- $9.5m
Critics praised the performances of Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, and many called it one of Johnson’s strongest dramatic roles, yet this appreciation has not turned into ticket sales. The film’s numbers are weaker than even small releases like Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie and horror titles such as Him and The Strangers: Chapter 2.
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The Smashing Machine Sees Drastic Drop In Daily Collections
By Thursday, The Smashing Machine saw its domestic average per theatre fall to double digits. On its seventh day, the movie made only about $300K in North America (Box Office Mojo), bringing its per-theatre average to around $95, despite still playing across more than 3,300 screens. The first three days were its only period of slightly steady earnings, with over $1 million each day, after which the drop was steep. The declining turnout clearly shows that the audience’s interest has worn off quickly.
Comparison With Margot Robbie’s Box Office Failure
Even with such weak performance, The Smashing Machine has managed to slightly outperform another recent flop, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, starring Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell. That romantic drama grossed $18 million worldwide, nearly double what The Smashing Machine has earned so far, but its domestic total of $6.6 million is lower than that of Johnson’s film.
However, surpassing that small milestone will not change the larger picture for The Smashing Machine, as it is unlikely to come close to Robbie’s film’s total haul.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey Box Office Summary
- North America – $6.6m
- International – $11.4m
- Worldwide- $18m
A High-Budget Film Turning Into A Major Box Office Flop
With a production budget of $50 million, the film needed around $125 million to break even. At its current pace, the recovery of even a fraction of that looks impossible. Despite strong performances and critical acclaim, The Smashing Machine has turned into one of the year’s biggest box office disappointments, marking a rare misfire for Dwayne Johnson and a worrying result for A24’s ambitious venture into mainstream sports biopics.
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