How Much Does Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine Need To Outperform Leonardo DiCaprio’s Underrated Western? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
Advertisement
Following its theatrical release on October 3, 2025, Dwayne Johnson’s sports film The Smashing Machine earned widespread praise, particularly for the former WWE champion turned Hollywood superstar’s transformative performance. Recently, acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan also lauded his portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr, calling it “incredible” and “heartbreaking”. However, despite the critical acclaim, this praise hasn’t translated into a similarly strong box office performance.
With a current global haul of $17.2 million (per Box Office Mojo), The Smashing Machine hasn’t even crossed its production budget of $50 million (per Variety). If it reaches this figure, the film would need to earn around $75 million more to reach its $125 million break-even mark at the box office, using the 2.5x multiplier rule. At this pace, hitting that milestone seems unlikely.
That said, the film has surpassed the global totals of several popular movies and is now closing in on the lifetime earnings of The Quick and the Dead, an underrated Western action film by Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. The 1995 movie starred Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Here’s what The Smashing Machine would need to outgross it.
The Smashing Machine vs. The Quick and the Dead – Box Office Comparison
According to Box Office Mojo data, here is how the two films have performed globally:
The Smashing Machine – Box Office Summary
Domestic: $10.2 million
International: $7 million
Worldwide: $17.2 million
The Quick and the Dead – Box Office Summary
Domestic: $18.6 million
International: NA
Worldwide: $18.6 million
As the numbers show, The Quick and the Dead earned around $18.6 million worldwide. This means The Smashing Machine still needs approximately $1.4 million to surpass it at the global box office. Based on its current momentum, it is expected to reach this milestone within the next few days.
The Smashing Machine Enters 2025’s Top 100
Dwayne Johnson’s sports drama recently entered the top 100 highest-grossing films of 2025, according to Box Office Mojo. And in doing that, it outgrossed the following ten films released this year:
The Strangers: Chapter 2: $16.8 million
366 Nichi: $16.7 million
Friendship: $16.5 million
Death of a Unicorn: $16.4 million
School of Magical Animals 4: $16.3 million
Jaws 2025 Re-release (50th Anniversary): $16.2 million
Dracula: A Love Tale: $15.8 million
Crayon Shin-chan the Movie: Super Hot! The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers: $15.7 million
Father There is Only One 5: $15.6 million
The Last Rodeo: $15.2 million
What Is The Smashing Machine About?
Directed by Benny Safdie and set in the late 1990s and early 2000s, The Smashing Machine tells the remarkable story of MMA legend Mark Kerr (played by Dwayne Johnson). The film traces his meteoric rise in the brutal world of mixed martial arts and delves into his struggles with fame, addiction, and the emotional turmoil that tested the champion’s strength even beyond the ring.
The Smashing Machine – Official Trailer
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
