The cast of A24‘s upcoming film The Smashing Machine has grown, with Heavyweight Boxing Champion Oleksandr Usyk officially signing onto the film.
Usyk will join an already star-studded cast that includes Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, in the biopic that is written and directed by Benny Safdie. The project tells the story of the life of legendary MMA fighter Mark Kerr. No other casting information is available as of now.
Usyk is coming off of the biggest week of his boxing career. This past weekend, he defeated Tyson Fury to become the newly crowned Undisputed Heavyweight Boxing Champion. As a professional boxer, Usyk holds a record of 22-0.
What do we know about The Smashing Machine?
In December 2023, A24 announced that Johnson and Safdie were collaborating on The Smashing Machine. Along with directing the movie, Safdie — known for co-directing 2017’s Good Time and 2019’s Uncut Gems alongside his brother, Josh Safdie — also wrote the screenplay.
“The Smashing Machine is a drama based on the story of Mark Kerr, the legendary MMA fighter from the no-holds-barred era of the UFC at the peak of his career,” reads the film’s description. “He struggles with addiction, winning, love, and friendship in the year 2000.”
Kerr is a former wrestler and mixed martial artist. He was previously the subject of the 2003 HBO documentary that was also called The Smashing Machine.
A release date for The Smashing Machine has not yet been announced by A24.
